Duke had noticed his favorite blonde heading up her stairway as he pulled into the Gull's parking lot. It was a little early for her to be home. Was she actually taking some time off? No, he decided as he exited the jeep. Audrey didn't know how to take time off. That was too bad. If anyone needed a break, it was her. Even from the parking lot, he could see her shoulders slumped with exhaustion. The haunted look in her eyes was probably there as well. Not for the first time, he wondered if telling her the truth about the Hunter was the right decision. Shaking off his doubts, he retrieved a bag from the front seat and made for the building. Duke couldn't do anything about past decisions. However, he could do something about the present situation.
After stopping to check in with Nora, he made his way up the steps. His steps were slow and just loud enough for her to hear. Although Audrey would never admit it, sudden noises still startled her. Dodging gun shots wasn't in his plans for the afternoon. Thankfully, the woman slumped in the deckchair wasn't holding a weapon. She wasn't even looking in his direction. Instead she was staring at a piece of paper in her hands as if it was the most important thing in the world. Duke rapped lightly on the railing. Her hear snapped up so quickly at the sound that he was afraid for her neck. Fear flashed in her eyes before she recognized the source of the sound. The fear wrenched at his insides. Of all the places where Audrey should feel safe, her apartment should've been on the top of the list. Duke covered his concern with a reassuring smile as he added to the reasons that the bolt gun killer needed to die. Slowly.
"Hey," she greeted with a tired smile of her own, "I didn't hear you come up."
"I could tell. Sorry to make you jump."
"Just off in my own world." Audrey shrugged as she pulled her legs into a lotus position. Duke took the invitation to sit on the leg rest of the large deckchair.
"You're home early," he noted.
"Getting a little outside research done."
"Is that what's got you so wrapped up?" He asked, gesturing to the paper.
"I found him," she explained, handing the sheet over, "I have a full name and everything."
"Wow." A 27 year old mystery was staring back at him from the paper. "How were you able to do it?"
"The face came in my dreams and the first name came in the flashbacks I was having last night." The memory of crouching over her unconscious body leapt up in his mind. While he was glad that she was finding answers, he was worried about the emotional and physical toll it was having on her. Exhaustion was radiating off of her in waves.
"So was he a Jim or a Jimmy?"
"James," she answered, "he went by James."
"Looks more like a Jimmy," Duke observed, study the slender features of the mystery man in the photograph, "Do you know anything else about him?"
"Not really…he loved onion rings, though," Audrey said after a moment of thought.
"Onion rings?"
"Yeah, onion rings," she repeated. "Of all the things to remember. It was part of a weird dream last night. He went for onion rings the way I go for cupcakes."
"Speaking of which, I came by to give you something." Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a carton of Halloween themed cupcakes. "They still had some left when I went by for bread earlier. Considering we had plenty of tricks last night, but few treats, I thought you'd like them."
"I do. Thank you!" The smile on her face made him hopeful. With everything else that was going on, he could still get her to smile.
"You're welcome. If you're up for it, they also come with this," he replied pulling out a canister of whipped cream and a bottle of Bailey's. "It's the perfect weather for Irish coffee. What do you say? Time for a short break?"
"I say it's time to put the coffee on."
Audrey happily devoured a cupcake with orange frosting and spider shaped sprinkles as the coffee brewed. When she offered one to Duke, he declined like he always did. Rosemary's frosting was delicious, but, too sweet for him in anything but very small doses. He only looked at the pastry section of the bakery when Audrey was on his mind. Once the coffee was ready, he assembled the drinks with the liqueur, cream, and a healthy dose from his ever present flask. Then, they settled onto the couch.
"So now that you have a name, what are you going to do?"
"Find out what happened to him," she answered, sipping appreciatively from her mug. "He could still be alive. If he is, he may have some answers about me and about what…what's going to happen."
"And if he isn't?" Duke hadn't missed that she only partly vocalized her thoughts on her pending disappearance. He wouldn't push the subject. The fact that she was doing something about it was enough.
"Then that could still yield answers."
Duke nodded and took a sip from his own mug. Pulling the flask back out, he added another dash to bring it up to the desire strength. Audrey smiled and shook her head.
"Is there anything that you don't add that to?"
"Orange juice," he deadpanned. "Come on, you know it made the punch last night much more tolerable."
"It certainly did," she agreed, taking another sip, "and it makes this perfect. Thanks."
"If there was ever a time for a good drink, it's now." Duke noted, passing her the flask.
"That's an understatement," Audrey snorted, taking a swig straight from the flask instead of adding it straight to the coffee.
"How did it go at the station this morning?" He asked after a little pause. His tone was light, but, the weight of the question showed on Audrey's face. She took another drink from the flask before handing it back.
"Better than I'd hoped. Nathan was able to convince Tommy and Claire that what you all heard about the escape was the house's distortions. They're all fine."
Duke didn't ask if Nathan's explanation was the truth. The look on her face was answer enough. He just nodded and pocketed his flask. This was something else he wouldn't push her on. It was also something he'd take to his grave. While he didn't exactly agree with Nathan's choices as of late, he could understand them. They may not like each other right now, but Duke had known him long enough to know that Nathan was truly a good man.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm okay," she deflected, just like he'd expected. He tried to pretend it didn't sting. "Today hasn't been so bad. I got cupcakes and a damn good coffee after all."
"Audrey," he pressed gently, "in less than a month, you've been abducted, told you're going to vanish, had your brain scrambled by flashbacks, been nearly killed by a possessed house, and learned that your straight and narrow partner has gone vigilante. How are you really doing?"
Another pause came in the conversation as she set her half finished mug on the coffee table. Duke had expected her to shrug off his question, or even snap at him. Instead, she focused on the mug with the same intensity she'd given the photograph earlier. He placed a light hand on her arm. The contact caused her to shift her gaze back over to him. The lost, haunted expression on her face broke his heart. Gently, giving her a chance to pull away, he guided her towards him. After a moment's hesitation, Audrey leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"That's what I was afraid of," he sighed, wrapping his arms around her. The way she'd curled up against him was a touching and unexpected sign of trust. It was also a cause for concern. Audrey wasn't normally one for prolonged contact. Things must be really weighing on her for her to accept comfort this readily.
"I don't know if I can keep this up," she admitted in a small voice. The little catch in her voice told him just how much that admission had cost her.
"You don't have to do it alone," Duke whispered, rubbing her back.
"Duke, I can't let-"
"Yes, you can," he interrupted firmly, shifting her so that she was still in his arms, but, he could see her eyes. "Look, you are one of the smartest people I know. I don't understand why this hasn't sunk in yet. You don't have to do this alone. I meant it when I said I would do anything to help."
"That was before I asked you to use your trouble," Audrey pointed out, looking away. Hooking a finger under her chin, he guided her eyes back to his.
"Let me make this perfectly clear: You don't get to add me to everything else that's on your back." Duke continued in a voice that was gentle but stern. "Was I angry that you asked? Was I hurt? Yes. But, it was my choice in the end, not yours. It didn't change a damn thing about how I felt."
Dark blue eyes widened and began to shine as she took in his words. Finally, she was listening. Duke brushed her hair away from her face with a tender smile.
"Face it, sweetheart. You can't "protect" us by pushing us away. You have friends who care about you. And, guess what? We're all grown ups. Let us decide for ourselves that you're worth the risk. Believe me, you are!"
The watery shine in her eyes began to spill over as Audrey buried her face in the crook of his neck. After holding back for far too long, she finally let herself fall apart. Duke just held her and rubbed circles into her back as she processed his words and everything else that had been thrown her way recently. His shirt would have a wet spot when she finally pulled away. He didn't mind. It was better for her to let this out. Eventually, Audrey quieted down and shifted to rest her head on his chest.
"I'd do anything for you. You know that, right?" He asked after awhile.
"I do," Audrey murmured, closing her eyes.
"Good," he replied, brushing his hand through her hair again. "Although I hate to admit it, I know Nathan feels the same way. Even with this whole…I'll just tell you later."
A glance towards her face told him that, just like a few nights ago, Audrey had dozed off while he was talking. He smiled at the sleeping and made a mental note that their next heart to heart would need to be when they were both well rested. It would probably be wise to make it alcohol free as well. He considered ways to extricate himself from the couch before resigning himself to his fate. There were worse ways to be trapped. Reaching behind him, he pulled the blanket draped along the back of the couch across her shoulders. Audrey murmured in her sleep at the movement and nuzzled against him. A wave of contentment washed over Duke. Nothing else mattered at that moment: Not the Hunter, not his own inner turmoil about his destiny, not the Guard, and not even the fact that some of her recent tears may have been over Nathan. All that mattered was that Audrey was resting safe in his arms. Did he want more? Of course. He hoped with every fiber of his body that she'd eventually return his feelings. Feelings that were becoming harder and harder to hide or ignore. For now, this was enough. In fact, it was more than enough. Closing his eyes, he let her slow steady breathing lull him to sleep as well.