Yes, it's Eve/Bonnie, but really it's more Bonnie/Annalise & Eve/Annalise. I'm Team Bonnalise myself, and I understand Team Evalise, and I think our ships can happily coexist, and that's sort of where this fic came from. So please don't hate me!
It was the middle of the night when the phone rang, but Eve wasn't asleep. Sleep hadn't come easily to her in quite some time. If she was being honest, she'd admit that her insomnia problems resurfaced just after Nate called the first time. Luckily Eve was very, very good at avoiding that kind of honesty altogether.
Her heart beat fast when the caller ID said "Keating." A call at 2AM, particularly one from Annalise, was never good news.
"Annalise? What's wrong?"
"It's not Annalise," a woman's voice said after a long silence. "It's Bonnie."
"Is she dead?" Eve sat, holding her breath until Bonnie answered.
"No. It's bad, though."
"How bad?" Eve grabbed for her clothes, pulling them on and tossing a few items into her overnight bag as the associate continued.
"She was shot in the stomach. She's in the hospital." Bonnie paused. "An ADA was murdered tonight."
"By the person who shot Annalise?" Keys. She'd started out the door already, but doubled back to grab her keys.
"That's what I've been told."
*But not what you think is true,* Eve thought, but did not say out loud. Instead, she said, "I'll be there in two hours. Which hospital?"
An hour and forty seven minutes later, Eve stood in front of the ICU reception desk, forcing herself to wait patiently for the lone nurse to get off the phone. She glanced toward the end of the hall, where the pink hues of the almost-dawn sky were visible through a window.
Eve tried to remember if she'd brushed her hair before she dashed out of her apartment. She remembered slicking on lipstick just before she entered the hospital, but other than that her face was bare. The outfit she'd thrown on was nothing fancy, just slim pants, a loose t-shirt and a sweater, all black. (She was a New Yorker, after all.)
As she waited, she wondered if she'd actually packed anything in her overnight bag or if it was sitting empty in the backseat of her car. She decided it didn't matter.
"They do have stores in Philadelphia," she mumbled to no one, just as a voice called her name. She turned to see Annalise's associate and right hand Bonnie rushing toward her.
Before Eve could react, the blonde's arms were wrapped around her in a firm embrace.
"Hey Bonnie. Any news?"
"Not yet." Bonnie let go and stepped back. She was pale and had dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't rested well in quite some time. "I was about to—"
A tall man in scrubs approached, a chart in his hand. "Is one of you Bonnie Winterbottom?"
"I am."
"Ms. Winterbottom, Ms. Keating has sustained a very serious injury, but we've stabilized her."
"Can I— can we see her?" Bonnie asked quietly.
"Once she's awake. Right now we have her sedated so her body can do the work of replacing the blood she lost and healing the wound, but the rest is up to her. She's gotta be tough to have made it this far." The red-haired man smiled reassuringly. "If you can, I'd say try to get some sleep."
"I'm not leaving."
"Bonnie," Eve said, gently taking the blonde's arm. "You're no good to her exhausted."
Bonnie started to argue, then nodded slightly before addressing the doctor. "What time can we see her?"
"Check back in with us at around 4 this afternoon and we'll go from there."
As the doctor disappeared back through the double doors he'd come from, Bonnie stared down the hallway at the sunshine that was streaming in the windows.
"It's light out. What time is it?"
"Just after five."
"Eleven hours." Bonnie nodded blankly and turned to go.
"You have someone to keep you company?" Eve asked.
"I.. No."
Eve sighed and gestured toward the elevator. "When was the last time you ate?"
"I don't know." Bonnie ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. "Breakfast?"
"Today?"
"Yesterday? Maybe. A lot has happened."
"You can tell me in the car. Or not," Eve added quickly. "The only absolutes are food, then sleep."
"Where are we going?" Bonnie asked as Eve drove toward downtown.
"Hopefully the Ritz-Carlton. I didn't think to book it before I left, but usually there's something available," Eve explained.
Bonnie pulled out her phone and typed for a few moments. "You've got a reservation. The rate isn't great but—"
"But it's not a time to be worrying about things like that." Eve smiled. "Thank you."
"I'm happy to help." Bonnie turned her focus out toward the street again. "It's the first thing I've been able to fix since this whole mess started."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Question is, do you want to be an accessory?" Bonnie's tone was light, but Eve could hear the strain under her words and didn't press further.
The blonde fielded several calls as they drove toward the hotel. The conversations were brief but thorough. As soon as she hung up the phone she lapsed back into silence. When they parked, Eve started to walk toward the hotel restaurant but a glance at her companion (her ward, she thought suddenly, as if she'd inherited the girl in Annalise's absence) made her rethink the plan.
"Room service?" She suggested and Bonnie nodded. The blonde followed her placidly through checking in and into the elevator, but when the hotel room closed behind them she tensed.
"I should have stayed at the hospital."
"You can sleep here better than on those vinyl waiting room chairs. I'll take the couch."
"That's silly. I live here, I have a bed of my own-"
"When you leave here, are you going to go home? Or back to the hospital?" Eve tossed her overnight bag onto a chair and sat on the bed, pulling off her shoes. "Now stop hovering and sit down."
When she looked up, Bonnie was sitting stiffly on the couch and staring at her, an inscrutable expression on her face.
"I can see why she loves you."
Eve struggled for a witty quip but came up blank. She grabbed a room service menu. "Annalise loving anyone is complicated," she said, glancing over the top of the page. "You know that as well as anyone."
"Are you in love with her?"
Eve sighed and dropped the menu on the coffee table in front of Bonnie. "I never stopped being in love with her. Are you?"
"It's complicated."
Eve chuckled quietly. "And Annalise said you were a good liar."
"Ask me again tomorrow and I'll lie better."
"Let's get you a hot meal, and some sleep." She pushed the menu toward Bonnie who picked it up and held it loosely in her hand. "If you don't pick, I'll order for you."
"I'd prefer it if you did."
Eve nodded and dialed for room service. When she hung up the phone, she turned to Bonnie and watched her for a few moments.
"Why are you doing this?" The blonde asked softly.
"I love her. And she loves you."
"I used to think so," Bonnie mumbled.
"It's true whether you believe it or not."
"I don't know who I am without her."
"We have that in common," Eve replied, settling on the couch next to the other woman and squeezing her hand gently. The two sat in a surprisingly comfortable silence until the food arrived.
"Appetizers, mostly," Eve explained, pulling metal covers off the assortment of small plates. "That way if you get tired of eating one thing, you'll have other options."
As Bonnie picked at the food, Eve opened her overnight bag.
"I wasn't even sure I'd packed anything. After you called..."
"But you did?"
"The essentials. A tank top, two pairs of underwear, a toothbrush and this," Eve said, pulling out a large bottle. "Bourbon. So there's that, but if you want vodka or rum, there's a minibar."
"I like bourbon."
"Good. It'll help you sleep," Eve declared, handing over a generous glass.
"Thanks."
"So. Why don't you tell me a story about what might have happened tonight? Theoretically, of course." Eve took the plate of onion rings and ate a few before passing it to Bonnie, who picked one up, then put it down again.
"I don't know everything myself, yet, but theoretically." Bonnie sighed heavily. "The police would believe the story more easily if she was bleeding when she told it."
"So she had someone shoot her." Eve shook her head. "You?"
"No. But my fingerprints are all over that gun, along with half a dozen other people's."
"Where did it end up? Theoretically."
"No idea. Something went wrong. She wouldn't have them shoot her in the stomach unless…" Bonnie trailed off. "Oh god. I'm so sorry."
"For what?"
"I should have known she was going to do something drastic." Bonnie looked off into the distance, her face blank even as her eyes filled with tears. "I could tell there was something wrong when she told me to leave the gun and sent me away."
"Annalise is unpredictable."
"I shouldn't have left."
"And what?" The brunette lawyer raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You would have talked her out of it?"
"No, but... if I'd stayed, it could have been me."
Eve felt a rush of cold go through her. "You'd be the one fighting for your life in that hospital."
"And she'd be here with you. Wouldn't you prefer that?"
"My preferences aren't worth your life, Bonnie. Annalise's crazy schemes aren't either." Eve frowned, then continued, her voice becoming gentle. "And you say you aren't in love with her."
"I said that. What's one more lie to add to the pile?" Bonnie's eyes flicked toward Eve. "What's being her equal like?"
Eve drained her glass. When she motioned for Bonnie to do the same, the blonde obediently swallowed the last few gulps of bourbon and handed the glass back for a refill.
"I don't know that I feel like her equal. I think I need her more than she needs me."
"Do you know about Nate? About him and Annalise?"
Eve nodded. "Yes."
"But you and Annalise—"
"There is no point in putting any restrictions on that woman." The brunette shrugged. "She does what she wants. The only thing I can decide is what I'm willing to accept."
Bonnie seemed to think this over before responding. "She did this for Nate. Does that make you angry?"
"No. Just sad. She could have asked for help. I could have tried to fix it."
"Maybe she didn't want to drag you into it."
"And maybe that's why she sent you away. Her fucked up way of protecting the people she loves." Eve saw Bonnie begin to protest but shook her head. "She told me you offered to confess to Sam's murder. If she didn't love you, she would have let you do it."
"I wish she had."
"Why?" No response. "You'd rather the world see you as a murderer than a victim?"
"She told you too?"
"No," Eve said quickly, alarmed at the pain she saw in Bonnie's face. "I consulted on your case. She called me halfway through, hysterical because she thought she was going to lose."
"And your advice?"
"I didn't give her any. I just listened and told her that if she believed in you so strongly, the jury would too."
"Thank you."
"You don't owe me any thanks. And you don't owe her anymore either."
"I do."'
"You thinking that... You paid your debt years ago. You can be her equal whenever you want to be. You just have to stand up and take it."
Bonnie nodded, then wobbled to her feet. "I should let you get some sleep."
"Because I'm going to let you leave now that you're not only tired, but drunk?"
"It's really not-"
"You aren't going anywhere. I'll tie you up if I have to," Eve joked, noting with surprise the flush that rose to Bonnie's cheeks. *So that's your thing,* she thought, the dynamic between Bonnie and Annalise suddenly making a very different kind of sense. "You don't want to be her equal."
"It's complicated."
"I don't think it is. You want to be on your knees at her feet, following her orders." Eve studied Bonnie's face. The associate wore a carefully neutral expression but her cheeks were flushed. When the other woman didn't disagree, Eve continued. "I understand, you know. She's gorgeous. Powerful. Wild. Brilliant. It makes sense that you'd trust her more than you trust yourself. You're adrift without her."
"Yes."
"Have the two of you-" Eve started to ask, but an indignant Bonnie cut her off.
"No! Of course not. She doesn't see me that way."
"Annalise sees everyone that way," Eve replied without thinking, the bourbon having loosened her tongue. She looked up to see that Bonnie was staring at her. The blonde's face didn't give any clue to her thoughts until the very last moment, and by then it was too late and Bonnie was in her lap, kissing her.
Eve was caught off guard, both by the bold move and her own reaction to it. She responded to the kiss, which was tender despite its sudden onset, tracing curving lines on the back of Bonnie's neck with her fingertips.
"I'm so sorry," Bonnie said breathlessly. "I shouldn't have done that." She started to pull away but Eve held her there.
"But you did."
Bonnie's brow wrinkled as she studied Eve quite seriously. "You're not angry."
"Just confused."
"She's got you too. Anytime I, with anyone else, I feel… it feels like I'm betraying her. But you're hers, too." Bonnie leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Tell me to stop and I'll stop."
Eve formed the word in her mind, but for reasons that she'd eventually take apart and put back together over and over, she didn't say it. (Months later she'd decide that it was because she recognized so much of Bonnie's pain, but she'd always wonder if it was more about the fact that Bonnie understood hers.)
"Don't stop," Eve murmured, and then Bonnie was leaning in, brushing their lips together.
Eve slipped a hand under the hem of Bonnie's jacket, fingers skimming the curve of her side. The blonde gasped into her mouth and pulled her closer, the tentative kiss morphing into a desperate, hungry one.
The rational part of Eve's mind knew this was a bad idea. They were both drunk, sleepless and stressed, but she decided not to care when Bonnie began to toy with one of her nipples through her t-shirt.
Their bodies strained together, Eve's nimble fingers unbuttoning Bonnie's jacket. Eve realized with surprise that she wasn't wearing a blouse underneath. She pushed the jacket off the blonde's shoulders as they kissed. The maroon garment dropped to the ground and Bonnie shivered, goosebumps appearing on her upper arms.
"Bed. It'll be warmer th... Oh," Eve breathed, her fingertips drawn to the reddish-brown splotches on Bonnie's white bra. The blonde followed Eve's gaze down, pulling away when she saw the stains.
"Is that-"
"It's not hers."
"Are you hurt?" Eve asked, searching Bonnie's pale skin for the source of the blood, but the other woman shook her head.
"It's not mine either."
"Jesus. You were really in the thick of it, weren't you? Did you—" "
"No. But theoretically I'm an accessory after the fact. As if that's any better." Bonnie shivered again and started to move from Eve's lap.
"Don't." Eve said, catching her by the arm and holding her there. The blonde tried to pull away for a moment before relaxing into the grip with a small shudder. The two women were quiet and still for a moment before Bonnie spoke.
"I think it's best we not do this."
"Okay. Then we won't." Eve waited as the blonde moved to the space next to her on the couch.
Eve picked up Bonnie's jacket and started to hand it to her, but stopped when her fingers touched a spot that was stiff with dried blood. "You know, I have that tank top in my bag… you want it?"
"That would be good."
Eve went to her suitcase and pulled a light blue top from it, which she then tossed to Bonnie.
"You should take off the bra too—that came out wrong. I'm not hitting on you, I'm just—"
"No, I understand." Bonnie started to go toward the bathroom, then stopped and simply turned away from Eve, who watched her reach back to unhook the bra.
"Today is so strange," Eve said as the other woman dressed.
"I'd say that's an understatement."
"You want another glass of bourbon?"
"Yes. But I'm afraid that might make me forget all the reasons we shouldn't…"
Eve smiled and nodded. "I'm sure you're exhausted."
"It's been a long day."
"All yours," Eve said, gesturing to the king bed with its fluffy white pillows.
"The couch is fine."
Eve shook her head. "I insist. I'm probably not going to be able to sleep anyway."
Bonnie nodded placidly and drifted toward the bed. Eve poured herself another bourbon as the other woman undressed down to the tank top and her underwear and got under the blankets.
Once she was sure the blonde was asleep, Eve gathered up Bonnie's discarded clothing, carefully folding the skirt she'd taken off. She examined the dark blotches on the jacket, checked the tag, then picked up the hotel phone.
"This is Eve Rothlow in room 618. The airline lost my suitcase and I've got a ton on my plate today. Is there someone who can go to a clothing store and pick up a few things? Good, good. Uh, two t-shirts, two tank tops, all size small. Any color is fine. A pair of yoga pants or sleepwear, medium. A couple of blouses, size 6, maybe grey or purple? A white button down blouse and a dark jacket, size 4, petite. And—" She squinted to read the small print on the tag of Bonnie's bra. "A bra, size 34B. Something simple. If it could just be charged to the card on file— yes, that would be great. Thank you."
Eve stood, still holding the jacket and bra. She picked up her purse from beside the bed and the bourbon from the table, then went to the bathroom and retrieved the small metal trash can from under the sink, along with a handful of tissues.
She eased the balcony door open as quietly as she could. Eve sat on one of the patio chairs, sighing heavily. She dropped one of the tissues into the trash can, then dug in her purse for a creased book of matches. She lit one and tossed it into the trash can. The tissue flared.
Eve held one sleeve of Bonnie's jacket over the flame until the fire started to lick at the cuff. She let it fall into the trash can, then poured some of the bourbon over it. The fire blossomed.
Eve watched the flames dance for a few moments, then tossed Bonnie's bra in as well.
The bright morning light glinted off the buildings of downtown Philly. There were children lining up at a bus stop half a dozen stories below. The air was chilly but Eve lingered long after the bloody clothes had been reduced to ashes. She sipped from the bottle. It made her feel comfortable— or at least comfortably numb— as she wondered how she became a person whose first impulse was to destroy evidence.
When Eve went back inside, she saw that Bonnie had kicked off the blanket and was whimpering softly in her sleep. The brunette approached slowly, gently touching the other woman's arm to soothe her. She sat on the bed next to Bonnie, reassuringly rubbing from her elbow to her shoulder and back again until the blonde stilled.
Eve watched her sleep for a while, then went to the far side of the bed and laid down, careful to keep space between them. She was hovering between consciousness and sleep when Bonnie shifted, rolling toward her, a slim arm snaking around her waist.
Eve tensed for a moment, but when she felt the blonde sigh and relax, she let herself do the same. What harm could it do, she asked herself, to sleep like this for a few hours?
When she woke up, the clock said 3:41 PM and Eve was alone. The tank top she'd loaned Bonnie was on the table, folded carefully next to some of the clothes she'd asked the hotel clerk to pick up for her. She smiled when she realized the other woman had hung Eve's new blouses in the closet and tucked the shopping bags everything came in into the recycling can under the desk.
She was splashing her face with water when she heard the door open. Eve came out of the bathroom, relieved when she saw Bonnie with two to-go cups of coffee.
"I called the hospital. She's awake."
"Oh, thank god." Eve smiled, realizing Bonnie had changed into the clothing the hotel had sorted. "Nice jacket."
Bonnie blushed. "I couldn't find my clothes. When I saw there were two different sizes in the bag they left at the door, I assumed—"
"You assumed right. A petite jacket on me is practically a crop top." They both laughed, then Eve continued, her voice low. "I took care of the other things."
"Thanks. Uh, you want cream or sugar?"
"Black is good." Eve accepted the offered cup and took a sip, sighing happily. "When can we see her?"
"We can go over as soon as you're ready." Bonnie seemed to search for words as she watched Eve finish dressing. "It might be best if—"
"If she doesn't know we've been colluding?" Eve smiled. "Hopefully getting shot will distract her from trying to pit all the people who are desperately in love with her against each other."
"Maybe. Though Annalise is great at multitasking," Bonnie deadpanned as she followed Eve out of the room.
"Why is she here?" Annalise groaned, trying to sit up in her hospital bed.
"I thought you'd want me to call her," Bonnie explained. She rushed to the side of the bed to adjust Annalise's pillow, but she waved her away.
"Just switch the bed so I can sit up and talk to you like a person, and stop treating me like I just got shot." Annalise scowled as Bonnie knelt down to adjust the knob.
"You did just get shot," Eve interjected. "Stop acting like I've never seen you without makeup on before."
"I just think it's pointless that you're all fussing like you're already planning my funeral." Annalise's eyes narrowed as she looked down at Bonnie. The blonde didn't notice the pointed gaze as she adjusted the knob on the bed, but Eve did. Her heart beat fast as Annalise's attention turned toward her.
"Where were you?" Annalise asked casually, addressing Bonnie but keeping her eyes on Eve.
"I needed to sleep for a few hours. Plus they threw us out."
"'Us?' You and Frank?"
"Yeah," Bonnie replied.
Eve saw the corners of Annalise's mouth turn up.
"Bonnie, leave. I need a minute alone with Eve."
"Of course." Bonnie left quickly, closing the door behind her.
"Come. Sit with me," Annalise said, patting an empty spot on the bed.
Eve did, making sure to avoid the mess of tubes and wires still attached to her former (not so former?) lover. "How are you feeling?"
"Oh I'm fine," Annalise said slowly. "Just curious."
"Curious about what?"
A flash of white teeth and that smug expression that Eve found both intimidating and incredibly sexy.
"Why does my associate smell like your perfume?" Annalise asked, slightly emphasizing the possessive pronouns.
Eve shrugged, doing her best to look as innocent as possible. "She was upset in the hallway. I hugged her."
"Uh huh."
"You don't believe me?" Eve shook her head. "Somehow I don't think I'm Bonnie's type."
"So you're saying she's yours?"
"You're being ridiculous." The brunette laughed. "You're my type. Are you really this possessive of us that you'd imagine a torrid affair between me and Bonnie?" Eve watched as Annalise seemed to think about this for a moment before she continued. "Or is it that you like the idea?"
"Oh, please." Annalise shook her head, the slight movement causing her to wince. "The last thing I want to do is think about you seducing her."
"What makes you so sure I'd be the one doing the seducing?"
"Don't make me laugh, I'll pull my stitches. Bonnie would never have the guts to make a move on you."
"Because I'm so intimidating?" Eve asked, a smile playing on her lips.
"I was going to say because she knows I'd kill her, but that too." Annalise sighed. "You didn't need to come."
"I know. I wanted to."
"Well, now you've seen me. I'm not dead, I'm not dying. You can go back now."
"Annalise… don't be this way."
"I already have Bonnie fussing over me, I don't need both of you doing it." Annalise reached out and took Eve's hand. "Please. I don't want you involved in any of this."
Eve studied Annalise's face for a long moment before tilting her head in agreement. "I'll go, as long as you promise me one thing."
"What?"
"That you'll call me next time, so I can fix it." Eve bent down to kiss Annalise's forehead gently. Their hands lingered together for an extra moment before Eve turned and left the room. She saw Bonnie at the end of the hall talking on her phone.
Eve thought about saying goodbye, but decided it would be best for all of them if she just disappeared back to New York like she'd never been there in the first place.
Three hours later, she was stretched out in her own bed, staring at the ceiling. She felt exhausted and numb as she replayed the day's events in her head.
She was confident that Annalise would recover. This wasn't the worst thing she'd seen that maddening woman bounce back from. Annalise had plenty of support, many hands to help as she healed. Her legion of law students, Frank, Bonnie, Nate.
Eve pushed away the flare of jealousy she felt at the thought of her lover's boyfriend. Now wasn't the time for that. Right now all she could do was try to get some sleep and hope that it would be a long time before the next time her phone rang in the middle of the night.