Title: Apartment
Rating: T for some language and normal adult behavior
Disclaimer: The Killing and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement. I only use them as a means to de-stress myself.
Summary: A series of connected one-shots all taking place in Holder's apartment. Each chapter is from either Holder or Linden's perspective (although not in first person). Will Holder and Linden finally realize they were meant for each other? What will it take for them to finally get together? This is my take on how it could happen.
Spoilers: This story starts off during the episode "Openings" (Season 2, Episode 6). It continues through the end of season 2 and then goes into my own plot. I have not seen season 3 yet so this has nothing to do with season 3.
Author's Note: Although these one-shots are connected to one another, they all do take place in Holder's apartment and span quite a bit of time. The "day" as marked on the top of each chapter has to do with the number of days Holder and Linden have known each other, not the Rose Larson murder. Thank you for reading and please don't forget to comment!
Chapter 1 - "I do not snore."
Day 19
She stood outside the door, her cell phone against her ear. Each time it rang, she became more desperate. What if he wasn't home? What if he didn't want them to stay? What if he thought she was crazy? She realized she had nowhere else to go, nowhere else where she felt safe. A sense of relief flooded through her when she heard his familiar voice on the other end of the phone.
"Holder," he said.
"Hey, it's me. Are you home?" She asked, trying her best not to sound desperate.
"Yeah, why? What's up?"
With his simple answer, she finally felt like everything was going to be ok. She knocked on the door and waited. She glanced over at Jack. He was looking at her like she was crazy. She couldn't explain it to him what seeing that picture on the refrigerator meant. She only needed him to trust her that she was doing what was best to keep him from harm's way.
The door finally opened. Linden could see the surprise in Holder's eyes. She lowered her phone.
"Hi," she said.
"Hey."
"We need to stay here just for the night." She realized she wasn't exactly giving him the choice. She didn't ask to stay at his place. She commanded it. But she knew he wouldn't argue. They were partners and she knew he would understand that she had her reasons without questioning her.
"Yeah sure."
He gestured for them both to enter. Although her back was to them, Linden could hear Holder and Jack give their usual handshake before Holder closed the door. When she turned around, she caught his eye. She tried to convey what she was feeling with her eyes. She wanted him to know that it was important for them to be somewhere safe and that she was thankful and grateful he was letting them stay. He nodded as if he understood everything.
"You hungry?" Holder asked.
"We ate in the car," Jack answered.
"Let me guess? From a bag?" Holder teased.
"Mom knows every fast food joint around," Jack replied.
"Let's not turn this into pick on mom night," Linden said, trying to keep the mood light. She knew Jack knew something was wrong, but there was no reason he had to know just how wrong things were.
"Come on, Linden, where's the fun in that?" Holder responded.
"I'm going to get changed," Linden said, rolling her eyes.
She grabbed the small bag she had taken and walked down the hall until she found the bathroom. She slipped inside, shutting and locking the door behind her. Before changing, she looked at herself in the mirror. She could see that the last nineteen days had taken its toll and she knew that was partially her fault. She hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks.
Linden quickly slipped out of her Jeans and sweater and changed into more comfortable stretch pants and a grey long-sleeved shirt. She took one last look in the mirror before folding her clothes and walking back into the living room. She saw Holder had moved the coffee table out of the way and he and Jack were locked in some kind of wrestling maneuver. She smiled. It felt good seeing her son doing something with another man. Jack hadn't really had that before. He never exactly had warmed up to any of her boyfriends, including Rick, and he sure as hell didn't spend enough time with his father. It was good for him to have a male to hang out with.
She realized as she stood there that watching them together seemed so normal. It looked almost like they were some sort of family. Linden shook the thoughts from her head. She knew she couldn't think like that. It wasn't appropriate. Holder was her partner.
Linden watched as Jack managed to kick at Holder's feet, sending him to the ground with a loud grunt.
"Don't hurt each other," Linden said somewhat jokingly because she knew that they wouldn't. Despite his rough exterior, the last thing Holder would do was hurt her son even accidentally.
"Just having some fun, Linden. You should try it sometime," Holder replied. With Jack's help, he stood up. "Alright, let's go again. This time I'm not letting you win."
She watched as her son barreled towards him. They got locked in a head to head position, both of them trying to take the other down. Linden couldn't help but smile again. After another thirty seconds, it was Holder who took Jack down, although not too aggressively.
"Jack, you should get ready for bed," Linden said when both boys were on their backs, breathing hard.
"Party pooper," Holder mumbled. They both scrambled to their feet. Jack grabbed his backpack and disappeared down the hallway.
"Come on, mom, can't we stay up a while? I'm not a kid, you know."
"Yeah, Linden, let the men have their fun," Holder joked.
"Someone's going to get hurt and I'm not taking any trips to the hospital tonight," Linden explained.
"Then we can do something else," Holder suggested.
"Like what?" Linden asked, seriously doubting that Holder would have anything in his apartment to entertain them.
"I got monopoly," he said. He walked over to the shelf and pulled out the board game. He handed it to Jack. "Why don't you set it up over there?"
Jack took the game and began setting it up on the bar next to the kitchen.
"You playing, mom?" Jack asked.
"No, honey. That's ok. You two play," she answered, not really in the mood for a board game. She walked over to the window, unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She kept thinking about the picture on the refrigerator. Who would have put it there? Who wanted to scare her?
She stood there for about a half hour, not moving. She could feel Holder's eyes on hers even though she never turned to look at him. She kept her eyes trained outside, watching the rain come down.
"So, you gonna tell me what's going on?" Holder asked quietly, as he approached her.
She finally turned to look at him. She knew she owed him an explanation. She hadn't said anything to him since they had gotten there.
"There was a picture on the refrigerator. Neither Jack nor I put it there. Someone was in our room, Holder."
"Maid probably just moved it. I'm always putting my bible in the drawer. Made me lose my place in Exodus."
Thinking about the idea that someone was in their room, someone who knew that much about her and her past made her shudder. She began to play with the collar of her shirt.
"That drawing was packed away. This was a message. Whoever did this knows things about me."
Holder stepped closer to her.
"That old case you're working on? That what Carlson was talking about?"
She didn't answer him. Instead, she turned back to the window. She trusted Holder with her life, but she was not ready to share with him the case that almost broke her.
"Trust me on this, Linden. You're safe. No one ever comes here around here. Not even Jehovah's witnesses." Holder walked away back towards Jack while Linden continued to stare out the window. She just had a feeling that someone was out there. "Only thing we gotta worry about is the young man robbing us." She looked over as he sat down beside Jack. "I said roll for me, not rob me."
"You owe me rent."
"Yeah, rent on Pioneer Square ain't two G's."
"I think your zen rock garden and fountain are what's really going to help me relax," Linden commented.
"Laugh it up, Linden, my dojo's the sanctuary of life."
She smiled, trying to calm herself. But she couldn't help looking out the window once more. She could hear them playing in the background, but she was too distracted to play. She closed the blinds, determined to not let her paranoia get to her.
Taking a calming breath, Linden walked over to the counter and watched as the boys played. Within twenty minutes, Jack had all of Holder's money and most of his property.
"This boy don't play fair!" Holder exclaimed.
"Just face it, Holder. You suck," Linden stated.
"Maybe cause he was the banker," Holder said.
"You're just mad because you lost," Jack replied.
Holder reached over and ruffled his hair.
"Come on, we should get some sleep," Linden suggested.
Linden glanced around the room, thinking about their sleeping arrangements. She knew Holder had only one bedroom. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder what his bedroom looked like. Was it masculine, devoid of a female touch? Was it practically empty except for piles of dirty sweatshirts and boxers lying around? Was it clean with a few feminine touches here and there to impress the ladies? She chastised herself for thinking about it.
"You ok, Linden?" Holder asked.
"Yeah, sorry," she replied, trying to hide the blush that was brushing on her cheeks.
"I said Little Man and I can crash out here. I got a pullout sofa and blow up mattress around here somewhere. You can take the bed."
"No, that won't be necessary," Linden insisted.
"Come on, me and Little Man can have a guy's night."
"Yeah, mom. I'm tired of sleeping in the same room as you. You snore."
"I do not snore," Linden stated.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Sure you don't."
"I'm not taking your bed, Holder," Linden insisted.
"Why? I washed the sheets...recently."
"Jack and I will be fine out here."
"Come on, mom," Jack whined.
"Yeah, come on, mom," Holder mimicked.
"Fine," Linden finally agreed. It wasn't worth fighting both of them.
"Right this way," Holder said. He led Linden down a short hallway. She followed him into his bedroom. He flicked the light on and went over to the closet. "Blow up mattress should be in here somewhere."
While he was digging through his closet, Linden took the time to look around. His room was masculine, having very little extra. He had a king sized bed in the middle of the room with a black, simple side table next to it. All the table had on it was a lamp, a clock, and a book turned flat with its pages done, clearly trying to save his page. Across the room he had one bureau with very little on it. As Linden had expected, there was a pile of laundry in the corner, but it wasn't overflowing. Otherwise the room was relatively neat although Linden guessed it could use a good dusting and vacuuming.
"Didn't a librarian ever tell you not to do that to your books?" Linden asked, pointing to the overturned book next to the bed.
Holder looked back. "I do that to all my books."
"It breaks the binding."
He shrugged and went back to focusing on his search.
"Found it," he finally said, pulling a box out of his closet.
"You really don't have to go through all this trouble. We'd be fine on the couch or the floor."
"No chick in my house is going to sleep on the floor."
"Chick?"
"I meant that with the utmost respect."
"Uh-huh."
"Anything you need, Linden, just let me know. Even got a few spare toothbrushes in the bathroom."
"You keep spare toothbrushes in your bathroom?"
"Never know when a lady friend might need one."
"I thought you were practicing celibacy."
"I am. Why do you think there are still spare toothbrushes left?"
Holder grabbed the box containing the air mattress and started to leave the room.
"Holder…" Linden said as she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah?" He asked, turning to look at her.
"Thanks. For letting us stay here. And for...everything."
"That's what partners are for Linden. And don't forget, I'll be just in the other room if you need anything. And I mean anything, Linden." He winked at her and plastered a large, goofy grin on his face. "You know, after Little Man goes to sleep, you and I could…"
"Shut up, Holder," she said.
"Just sayin' Linden. Could be epic."
He disappeared out of the room. Linden laid back on the bed and closed her eyes. She wasn't going to lie - his proposition was enticing.