I don't own Haven or its inhabitants – don't sue me

Nathan sat at his desk in the dimly lit police station once more going over the scene at the jetty. He had more important things to take care of and certainly a cacophony of other thoughts that warred for his attention but he kept coming back to the same moment on the jetty.

Audrey holding his hand in both of hers and realizing that he can feel her touch. She looked shocked then confused because he had known and never said a word. He saw the steel snap back into place, that piece of her personality that always sparked something in himself- whatever had been bothering her she was going to tell him now. She had realized that he initially withheld information from her while he tried to figure out what it meant, then after grasping the futility of that situation he continued out of a fear that she would reject him. She had been doing the same to him recently and wanted to remedy that.

When she had dropped the bombshell of Lucy and that other 'Audrey' had shown up in such as echo of her arrival he didn't know what to think - except that he wanted to be there for her, no matter what.

Now, a week later, the dust had settled and Audrey, the other Audrey, had left - with the promise to never return and his Audrey had no new answers about her past. Just more questions. He had every faith that they would get to the bottom of her mystery; he just hoped that it didn't break her. She was a strong woman but there were some things that could crush the strongest among them.

Audrey had left a little over an hour prior with Duke, telling Nathan that she would be swinging by his house later with a surprise. She patted his arm, knowing that he enjoyed the touches and walked out the door. Duke had given him a cheeky grin and closed the door behind them, which only served to irritate Nathan.

Looking up at his wall clock he decided to head home. He would stop for take out at the dinner and grab something for the both of them... She was always hungry. There was a game on tonight that he wanted to catch.

Scooping up his jacket he headed out to his truck. The weather had turned stormy late this afternoon and hadn't eased up, gradually getting darker and raining harder. He decided on the hearty beef stew with dumplings and grabbed a couple of pieces of pumpkin pie for dessert. Before he left Mabel, the septuagenarian cashier, pinched his cheek and told him for the billionth time that he had the most adorable dimples. Every time he saw her she made him stoop to her tiny 5ft frame and let her pat or pinch his cheeks. He endured it every single time because she had never once stopped this routine from the time he was little. She treated him the exact same. Plus it wasn't like he could feel it - He could live with that.

The rain started getting heavier as he neared his little house so he used his jacket to cover the food boxed as he sprinted up the walkway and up the stairs. He piled everything on the tiny table he kept on the porch as he fished out his keys.

When he got in he walked the food into the kitchen and turned the oven on low. He poured the stew into some corning ware, the biscuits onto a piece of foil and popped them both into the oven. He put the pie in the fridge and took out a bottle of red wine.

That done, Nathan he made his way back towards the stairs and up into his room while stripping his upper body of the wet clothes. He decided to grab a quick shower because he wasn't sure if he was cold or not and it was the easiest way to regulate his temperature. While he was drying off he heard a car pull up out front and a brief exchange take place between Duke and Audrey. He couldn't make out what they were saying but it was obvious that Duke was teasing her. By the time Duke drove off he was walking into his bedroom to change into dry clothes.

He heard her open his door downstairs bustle into the foyer and beyond while calling up the stairs, "Nathan?" He could hear a few plastic bags.

"Be down in a sec," he said as he ran the towel over his head one more time.

"Take your time… It smells delicious." He couldn't help but smile, she always thought with her stomach.

He could hear her moving around down stairs and thought he heard the cork on the wine bottle pop. He loved that she felt at home here. He had considered asking her to move in now that she would be staying… He had a spare bedroom. Yeah, keep telling yourself that is where you want her to sleep…

He jogged down the stairs and stopped dead in his tracks. She had turned off the living room lights and set out unscented candles around the room. There were two large bowls set out and the biscuits rested in a linen napkin on a plate in the center. There was a wine glass next to a plate and Audrey had her back to him messing with his radio.

She found a station that she liked and bobbed her head to the music for a moment before taking a big sip of her wine. He raised an eyebrow because she wasn't much of a wine drinker and he had never seen her take more than a sip at a time.

When she turned back towards him they both froze. Audrey had finally realized that he had joined her and Nathan finally noticed that she had changed into a delicate camisole with what looked to be a fuzzy sweater over it. It looked soft, feminine, like something she might wear on a date and suddenly his heart started racing and he thought he should go back up stair and at least put on slacks instead of his black basketball shorts.

"So…" She began, fidgeting with the glass in her hand. She looked around briefly, her eyes snagged on the coffee table laid out with dinner. She gestured with a nod, "Smells great…"

Sometimes I thought my real curse was me complete inability to speak to the majority of the opposite gender. My response left much to be desired, "Yup," I could have kicked myself and I might have if Audrey didn't save me.

"Well let's eat!"

We both sat on the floor opposite each other and suddenly it was like we were back on even footing. They talked about a case and after a few minutes of companionable silence where he finished off his stew he said, "Your team plays tonight," just to get a rise out of her. She hated the Red Wings and once you got her going it took a tank to stop her. When she didn't immediately take the bait he looked up to see her looking at him and fidgeting again.

"What?"

He face flushed then in a speed I didn't know she was capable of she started to speak, "I want to try something with you and I'm hoping you don't completely freak out or something. Duke said that you won't but I really don't know if I can trust him in this situation and I really just don't want you to hate me and never talk to me again because-I-would-never-forgive-my-self-if-that-happened…" All the words at the end had blended together.

"Okay." What was I going to say no?

"Okay?"

"Yes."

"But you don't know what I want…"

"Then tell me."

"Well… You can feel me right?"

"Yes." I tilted my head not sure where she was going with this.

"I brought some… things I want to try with you, She waved her hand in the direction of the end table and for the first time I noticed a bag tucked down next to it. "But first…" My head turned back to her and she crawled around the table towards me, my eyes tracking her movements. She got next to me and placed her hand on my cheek. The heat of her palm was a welcome sensation and my eyes drifted closed. She finished her sentence and it nearly stole the breath from my lungs, "First, I need to make sure you want me."

My eyes popped open wide and she leaned into kiss my lips, I didn't think I just reacted and gripped her by her shoulders pulling her closer and pressing my lips to hers. I pulled her to my body tighter and placed her in my lap. I was kissing Audrey. I was finally kissing Audrey and I could feel it!

After a few minutes she pulled away with a chuckle and pressed her forehead to his. "I guess that answers, that question." The smiled at each other for a moment before her smile grew even bigger. Pulling away she reached for the bag.

"I want to try a few things with you, I you don't want to or… or… your don't like something tell me and I'll stop. Okay?"

I nodded. Why in hell would I say no to her?

She smiled and dumped the contents of the bag on the remaining space of the table: Altoids, Warming pad, massage oils… He blinked at it for a moment then turned to look at her… He saw where it was going but he didn't quite-

"Its for me…If my skin is warm you'll feel that right? Or cold? Or wet?" When the realization dawned on him what she was trying to do he swooped down for another kiss.

She was amazing, it just might work…