A/N: Future-fic. Just for fun.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Quite literally, not much of anything, so there's no use in suing me. I come in peace.
Kate muttered a curse under her breath as she tried once more to insert the key into the lock. Exhaustion had fogged her brain to the point where focus was merely a memory, so the normally mindless task of unlocking the front door had become akin to threading a needle. At last, the lock clicked open and Kate let herself inside. It was well past three in the morning, and she was just now returning home after one excruciatingly long and rough case.
The entire city of Chicago had been on high alert for the past month following a string of bold, broad daylight bank robberies headed by a crew known only to the local PD and the Feds as "The 1246". This crew had been well organized, heavily armed, and smart. Not your ordinary, everyday mugger. They'd seamlessly managed to hit three banks, including two federal, in such a short time span before they'd finally gotten sloppy. During their last heist, one of the robbers tripped a silent alarm, inadvertently pushing up their timetable. In the hurried escape, a bystander, who had tried to play the hero, was shot. Luckily, the victim survived and, once he had regained consciousness, was able to provide the Bureau with valuable information about the perpetrators and their getaway vehicle. Kate and her team had spent a better part of the last forty-eight hours tracking down leads and interviewing persons of interest before they were able to crack a witness into giving up the 1246.
The takedown went as smoothly as they could have hoped, but there had been one fairly dicey instance where Kate found herself mano a mano with one of their suspects. After Kate and Probert traced their assigned target to an apartment on the city's Southwest Side, the guy decided to make a run for it. Probert pursued with Kate taking up the only other escape route, in hopes of heading their thief off. She caught up with the suspect in the back alley behind the apartment building where he had proceeded to try to use Kate's small stature against her by overpowering her. He nearly succeeded when he caught her off guard and threw her hard against the bricked exterior of the building. Her gun flew from her hand and skittered away, leaving Kate unarmed, but Kate hadn't been third in her class at Quantico for nothing. Adrenaline and her close quarters training kicked in and, after a brief scuffle, Kate was able to subdue the suspect just in time for Probert to come tearing around the corner. Kate made a mental note to razz him later about how he'd ended up so far behind.
Inside the dim entryway, with only the light of a small desk lamp to guide her, Kate dropped her briefcase beside the door and removed her jacket, draping over the back of a chair. She would take care of it in the morning. She lolled her head from side to side, attempting to work the stiffness out of her neck. When that dirtbag shoved her into the wall, the back of her skull had connected with the rough surface of the brick, leaving her stunned for a split second. The ensuing altercation had also left Kate battered and sore, but she'd been in worse shape before. Despite her assertion that she wasn't badly hurt and all she needed was to go home and get some sleep, SAIC had been insistent that she be checked out by the paramedics before being dismissed. A precaution, he'd called it. The exam was standard and basically told Kate what she already knew; no apparent concussion, a few bruised ribs, and numerous cuts, bruises, and scrapes. A short time later, she had been released under orders to take the next day off. After nearly two straight days of running on caffeine and fumes, Kate only half-heartedly protested the exile.
Fatigue and hunger battled within her. Kate couldn't remember the last time she had eaten anything that didn't require spare change and the break room vending machine. She could really use something more substantial, but the call of clean, crisp sheets was like a siren song she couldn't refuse. Sleep first, food later.
She bypassed the kitchen, shedding her boots as she went. The heavy soles hit the floor with a resounding thud. Kate cringed at the noise, but made no move to pick them up. Her socked feet shuffled on autopilot with Kate barely registering anything until she came upon the bathroom. She shut the door quietly behind her before turning on the light. Instantly, night turned to day, and Kate found herself squinting into the bright white. Once her eyes had adjusted, she came face to face with herself in the mirror and was a little taken aback by the sight that greeted her. Dark circles lined the undersides of both eyes and her skin looked sallow, sickly. It seemed as though a few new lines had formed across her forehead, as well, but she hoped that was just her imagination playing tricks on her.
Rubbing her face roughly with her hands as though she hoped to physically erase the stress of the last few days away, Kate sighed heavily. Reaching back, she gingerly touched the small bump that had developed on the back of her head. The knot itself wasn't sore, but the headache she had as a result was brutal. Pulling open the medicine cabinet, Kate grabbed for the bottle of aspirin. After taking two and praying for speedy relief, she started to remove the rest of her clothing; taking special care as each movement created a twinge in her aching ribs.
It wasn't until she was stripped down to her underwear that Kate was able to take in the full extent of her injuries. Splotches of red and purple that she had first seen in the back of the ambulance while the paramedics were examining her had grown more pronounced and slashed angrily across the right side of her ribcage. They also hurt like hell each time she inhaled deeply. Kate lifted her hand and carefully touched the lesions, drawing back as the dull pain started anew. Releasing the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding, she went about her nighttime routine.
After splashing some cool water onto her face, Kate blindly reached over for a towel. As she tugged the plush cotton free, Kate noticed a pair of pajamas hanging neatly on the rack next to her towel. She didn't recall leaving those there. Pulling on the mismatched drawstring pants and tank top, Kate smiled softly; possibly for the first time in hours.
Shutting off the bathroom light, Kate made her way across the hallway toward the bedroom, shivering at the feel of cold hardwood underneath her bare feet. She absently reminded herself to get some area rugs in here as she pulled back the covers and slid between the cool sheets; her body protesting the entire way. Easing onto her uninjured side, Kate attempted to settle her whirling mind enough to get some much needed rest, but sleep continued to remain elusive.
As Kate stared into the darkness waiting for it to take her, she felt the mattress shift. The next thing she knew, a warm, solid arm was winding its way around her midsection, drawing her flush against the form behind her. Kate closed her eyes and she bit back a small whimper of pain; instead concentrating on the much more pleasant sensation of being wrapped in the cocoon of his embrace. Unwilling to let some silly little thing like bruised ribs ruin the moment, she burrowed even further into him and sighed in contentment.
"You're back?" Daniel's voice was gravelly, deep from sleep, and his calm breath teased the strands of hair at the nape of her neck as he spoke.
"Yeah, just got in. Didn't mean to wake you." Kate's own voice was struggling from lack of use and she cleared her throat to loosen it up a bit.
"Glad you did. You get 'em?" Daniel asked.
"Yep, we finally got the bastards. Robbery, attempted murder, ADW…these guys aren't going anywhere anytime soon." Kate replied, placing a hand over his, which was resting on her abdomen, and squeezing affectionately.
"Good. You're reckless enough when you're not on the verge of total burnout..." Daniel half-teased and in response received a sharp pinch to the arm from Kate. "Ow, ow, OK, OK!"
"Not reckless, dedicated." Kate released Daniel, chuckling quietly at the playful exchange, which was making the ache in her torso burn all the more. To make matters worse, Daniel chose that particular moment to tighten his arm around her again. This time, Kate couldn't hold back the cry of discomfort as her tender ribs revolted against her.
"Kate? What?..." In an instant, Daniel had backed away from her and reached behind to turn on the lamp sitting on his bedside table, bathing the room in a soft golden glow. Kate slammed her eyes shut against the light and inwardly chastised herself for her show of weakness. Well, maybe not weakness, but the last thing she wanted to do at four in the morning after getting off a case like this is to get Daniel all worked up over something stupid, like he was now.
With a little effort, Kate rolled over onto her back and glanced up at Daniel. He was sitting up next to her in a wrinkled gray t-shirt and navy boxers with a look of grave concern marring his features. His eyes were quickly scanning up and down her figure looking for any discernible source of her pain. Kate exhaled heavily.
"Daniel, it's nothing. Trust me. I just got a little banged up bringing in our last suspect. I'm fine. I promise." Kate kept her tone quiet and calming to try and assuage his anxiety.
"Kate, that can't be fine! What happened?!" Daniel's voice was growing louder and more alarmed the longer he went without a proper explanation.
"He resisted arrest." Kate stated, matter-of-factly, shrugging her shoulders. "I handled it. I took him down, but not before he landed a few pot shots. I honestly didn't think it was necessary, but the paramedics checked me out anyway. I have three bruised ribs on my right side, a tiny bump on the back of my head, and some minor bruises and scrapes. There's nothing they could do for me so they just told me to ice the ribs periodically, take it easy for a few days, and sent me home."
"Let me see." Daniel said, reaching for the hem of her tank top.
"Daniel, why? It's OK! All I really want right now is to just get some sleep." Kate argued back, crossing her arms over her eyes to block out the glare of the light.
"I'm…I'm a doctor! They might have missed something important, so, please, just let me take a quick look to make sure that's all it is."
Growling lowly in annoyance, Kate gave into his request and lifted up her shirt so that Daniel could see the worst of the damage for himself and hopefully appease his paranoid mind.
"There you go. See? Nothing."
With a trained hand, Daniel easily prodded around the discolorations, striving to create as little additional hurt as possible. There was absolutely nothing sexual about his touch; he was going about this task as any good clinician would, but that didn't stop the familiar heat from flowing through Kate at his ministrations. She flushed lightly.
"Don't start something you won't be able to finish." Kate joked, earning a dark look from Daniel.
He ignored her comment as he said, "Looks like your paramedics were good. I don't see anything that would alert us to anything deeper going on here."
Kate just smiled smugly at Daniel as he carefully returned her shirt to its original position; taking a few extra seconds to adjust the fabric. Gently lifting herself up from her prone position onto one elbow, she grasped the soft cotton of Daniel's shirt and slowly pulled him towards her until they were a mere hair's breadth apart. His eyes had darkened considerably and appeared to be fixated on her mouth. The warmth of his breath washed over her face, a touch heavier than normal, as he hovered above her; hands planted on either side of her body.
"Thank you for your professional opinion, Dr. Pierce." Kate murmured seductively against Daniel's lips, thoroughly enjoying the tease and the reactions she was evoking out of him. Two sides were warring inside of him with one wanting nothing more than to give up all of his tightly held control and just kiss her senseless and the other seeing her as a china doll, easily breakable and to be handled with extreme care. Kate hated being seen as fragile.
Taking mercy on him, Kate was the first to close the distance, sealing her lips to his in a slow, lingering kiss. They had been together awhile now, but she still marveled, every time, at how well they fit together; of how he was able to make her heart plummet to her toes just by a simple touch. It had never been this easy before, but it also felt like so much more to lose. They kept the kiss brief, but it was nonetheless filled with all those wonderfully terrifying emotions she had come to know and thrive upon. After separating a few moments later, Kate rested her forehead against Daniel's, smiling brightly. The pain in her side had started to increase due to her balancing act, so Kate eased herself back onto her forearms and gazed up at him fondly.
But where Kate had found contentment and reassurance in his arms, something still seemed to be bothering Daniel. He raised his left hand from the mattress and brought it to Kate's face, cradling it softly. As he brushed his thumb tenderly against the curve of her jaw, hazel eyes caught her dark ones. In them, Kate could see the storm brewing. He was open fully to her, and Kate saw the fear, pain, love, worry all cloud together with an intensity that she couldn't recall seeing before.
At once, Daniel surged forward, crushing his mouth to hers. Sweet and tender was replaced by heat and desire as she felt him trace her bottom lip with his tongue, begging entry. Kate's eyes fluttered closed as she followed his lead, deepening the kiss. Allowing herself to be wrapped up; matching him urgency for urgency.
Ignoring the ache the motion brought, Kate rose up into a sitting position, never breaking their connection. She looped her arms around Daniel's neck and drew closer as he tangled a hand in her dark mass of brunette hair; the other stroking gently down her spine. Kate shivered at his touch and couldn't help the tiny moan of pleasure that escaped after he had broken the kiss for a second to take a breath before delving back in once more, rough and demanding. The need behind Daniel's kiss was staggering. It was as if he were kissing her for the last time; trying to absorb as much of her as he could into those few fleeing moments. As if she would vanish into thin air if he were to let her go. Maybe a part of him did believe that.
Despite the thrill Kate was feeling inside, she knew that she had to slow things down soon while she was still able to do so. She was bone-tired and aching and they both needed rest. As though reading her thoughts, Daniel gradually slowed his advance before breaking the kiss altogether. Both were panting heavily and remained locked in each other's embrace as they tried to regain control of their breathing.
Opening her eyes, Kate was greeted by the sight of Daniel staring back at her. Aside from the lust that was obvious, she caught a glimpse of that same fear and worry from before. Suddenly, the light bulb came on.
"Daniel, I'm here. I'm fine. Nothing's going to happen to me now." Kate whispered, running her hands through the short dark hair at the back of his neck as she pecked him lightly on the lips.
Daniel gulped thickly and nodded his head. He didn't seem completely convinced, but he accepted her words without comment. A last brief kiss and Kate lay back down while Daniel reached back to turn off the bedside lamp. Once he had settled in beside her again, she reached over and grabbed his arm, dragging it over her small frame. Kate would do anything to remove that look of fear from his face. If he still needed that reassurance, she would happily give it to him. Careful not to hold too tightly, he nestled into her side before speaking in a low, deep voice that was partially muffled by her neck.
"Before now, I've always thought of you as invincible, somehow. I know what you do is dangerous, but it's easy to ignore what you can't see, and I've never seen you hurt on the job. I think this was the first time I truly realized that things could go horribly wrong someday…and I could lose you. I've already lost one woman I cared about and it nearly tore me apart. I wasn't even sure it was possible, but I love you even more than that. I truly don't know what I would do if some lowlife took you away from me."
Kate felt her heart break a little at the catch she heard in his voice at that last bit. She caressed his arm in a soothing manner as she said, "It's true, Daniel. I'm not going to lie. That wasn't my first close call, and it won't be my last. Nature of the beast, you know? But, the same can be said for just living…everyday. Driving, crossing a busy street, getting sick. Any of those things could result in the same outcome. I can't promise you that I'll always be here. I, unfortunately, don't have a say in that particular decision, but I'll make you a deal."
Kate couldn't see Daniel in the darkness but she felt his nod against her shoulder. She entwined her fingers with his.
"I promise you that I'll do whatever I can to make sure that I stay right here, next to you, every night for as long as I can. In exchange, you promise me the same."
"Deal." Daniel squeezed her hand in a pseudo-handshake and kissed her bare shoulder lightly.
"Deal." Kate echoed back. "And, for the record, I love you, too."
She felt a puff of air against her arm as Daniel let out a small laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing." He said. "Just thinking about how I never pictured that brilliant, beautiful, but slightly awkward co-ed who sat on the front row taking copious notes ending up a kick-ass FBI agent."
"Who are you calling awkward?" Kate returned the barb. "I also bet you never pictured her ending up in your bed either."
She sensed Daniel's grimace. "No comment on that one. Thoughts of that nature would have gotten me into all kinds of trouble back then."
It was Kate's turn to laugh. "OK, Daniel, sleep now. You've got session in a few hours and I will probably be passed out most of the day at this rate." It was true the warm cocoon he created around her was lulling her into unconsciousness.
"Maybe I'll just stay here with you. I'm sure the students won't even miss me." Daniel groused.
Kate laughed louder this time. "You may have a point, but Haley might care! Now, go to sleep!"
"Fine. Goodnight, Kate."
"Night, Daniel."
With that, Kate allowed herself to finally succumb to slumber.
A/N: Thanks to you all for your great response to my first fic, Spar. Praise encourages me to write more. Needless to say, this one is way off canon and a little out of my wheelhouse, but it's fun to dabble in the what-if. Hope you enjoy and remember my ego is fragile. ;) ~Zeph