Catch and Release - 06.21.0
Summary: Everyone would always think of Sarah as 'the one who got away' from Reid. To Reid, however, she would always be the one who he let go. Oneshot. Unrelated to TCP.
"You know, Sarah's my Grandmother's name," the tall, lanky, and attractive blonde remarked, smirking coolly.
Sarah thought the statement outlandish. But she couldn't deny it was memorable.
Years later, she would always remember how the fire glinted off his face when he said that remark.
"Let's take a look shall we?" he asked, offering his hand. And Sarah took it, despite the warning feeling lacing the butterflies in her stomach.
And what surprised her the most wasn't the fact that he didn't make a pass at her when she was only clothed in a towel or that he didn't treat her like she was crazy.
What surprised her the most was the fact that she felt safe.
Reid, remembering the expression on Caleb's face when he had seen Sarah, took one look at her desperate face in need of comfort and walked away.
Sarah was in Caleb's arms, dancing as provocatively as possible. Kate was cheering her on and the pretty blonde girl could feel many eyes on her.
He was too busy picking fights to look at her, and Sarah felt more indignation than she knew she should.
They were in the car, Tyler driving, Reid in the passenger seat, and Sarah, in the back, looking out the window in worry.
"He'll be okay," Tyler said, never taking his eyes of the road.
Sarah frowned, biting her lip.
"Sarah," Reid said softly.
She looked up to find him looking at her from around the seat. She exhaled and nodded, giving him a small, scared smile.
Reid eyed her for a long, breathless moment. Then he turned back to the road.
The smile slid off her face and she turned her eyes back out the window, feeling more lost than before.
She's walking down the aisle, nervously worrying on her lip. She could see the mass of guests eyeing her, the same awe reflected on her future husband's face. She nearly blanched when she caught the wonder on Caleb's face before her gaze slid to those standing next to him.
Reid gave her a small reassuring smile and Sarah smiled back, exhaling in what she told herself wasn't relief. Reaching the front, she took Caleb's arm and refocused her attention on the dark haired man who loved her more than she ever thought possible. More than she ever deserved, whispered a small, guilty part of her.
It was the last time anyone ever saw Reid smile.
"Reid," declared the voice on the phone.
"Caleb," Reid answered in kind, voice no longer laced with the rivalry they had suffered from when they were younger. Instead he simply sounded exhausted.
"I'm leaving town for business and was wondering if its okay if Sarah stayed with you," Caleb said, more order than request. "Kate's giving birth and Tyler and Caroline are on their honeymoon. You're the only one," he reasoned before Reid could protest.
Reid looked at the clock on the wall, the time ticking away. He sighed and answered, "Sure."
It was the night before Caleb came home from his trip. They were in the dining room, imbibing in the wine Caleb made Sarah bring in gratitude and that Sarah had insisted they drink. Sarah was babbling on and on about nonsense. Reid said nothing, taking much smaller sips than Sarah was, his face expressionless.
Sarah ended her tale with a laugh, eyes landing on his face. She frowned and leaned forward, ignoring the hand Reid stretched out to steady her.
"It's been so long since you smiled," She declared, a hand reaching out to touch his mouth. Reid caught it and gave her a warning glance. She pouted. "Why don't you ever smile, Reid?" She leaned even closer, her pout becoming more pronounced when his face remained stoic. "You and I both know that blondes are supposed to have more fun. Let's have fun together." She gave him a lusty look before pressing herself completely against him.
Reid held her by her shoulders "Sarah, you're not thinking clearly," he reasoned, taking her glass from her precarious grip and settling it on the table.
She laughed. "I am. I've always been clear-headed. I just never acted upon it." Her hands traced a pattern on his chest.
Reid grabbed her wandering hands and looked at her. She could see the emotion boiling in his eyes and she knew their years of cat and mouse were finally reaching the climax. He examined her face, almost as if he was memorizing it. And then he spoke.
"Caleb loves you," he declared. It was the first time he ever spoke about the one thing in the way of their being together aloud. And then he released her, more broken than she would ever admit.
(But that's okay, because he became just as broken when he said it, and wouldn't they make such a pretty pair?)
The next morning, Reid watched from his porch as the familiar silver mustang pulled up.
Reid nodded to Caleb as the other got out his car. The blonde took another pull from his cigarette, releasing the smoke out slowly.
"Where is she?" the tired older Son asked, rubbing his eyes.
Reid inclined his head towards the open door. "Inside. Sleeping it off." He took another drag.
"You're going to kill yourself, Reid," Caleb said, pausing next to the sitting blonde and gesturing at the cigarette.
Reid tilted his head back and gave a bitter laugh, the light glinting off his hair and making the white hairs look the same shade as the rest of his platinum blonde hair. He was twenty-four. "Aren't we all?" he retorted, before taking a long, exaggerated puff. He exhaled, glad for the burn. He looked off to the distance, dismissing the hovering man.
Caleb scrutinized Reid, the crow's feet around his eyes becoming more pronounced. He had no reply for the man who no longer smiled or even smirked. So he walked through the large double doors and got his wife.
It was moments later when he came out, this time with his wife in his arms. She leaned against his broad shoulder, swaying despite the support. She spared a glance at the crouched figure, blue meeting blue in a significant, weighted way.
It was Reid who looked away first.
And then she got in the car and Caleb drove away.
Reid was the last of the Garwin line. The other three never knew why he never married.
But Sarah knew. And she cried the hardest during his funeral, two years later.
FIN.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Covenant.
A/N: Random bout of inspiration. I hope you enjoyed it, though.