Chapter 1: Cops and Doctors
Typical.
We grew up together, of course we'd end up working together. And I love it, I love being able to live with her and work with her and just be with her so much.
My best friend, my soul mate aka Karma I'm-A-Goddess Ashcroft is sitting there waiting for me. Me. And what am I doing? I'm standing here like a creep, watching how the sunlight reflects off of her auburn hair. Her beautiful hair that sometimes tickles my skin after one too many scary movies and a freaked out Karma who's crawled into my bed during the night. For a police officer, she's surprisingly squeamish when it comes to horror movies.
"You're such a wuss."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. You look at crime scenes all the time, like real crime scenes and yet a movie scares you."
"Shut up." She folds her arms across her chest and pouts. "Clowns are scary. No amount of crime scenes can change that." I smirk. She's always has and probably always will be an enigma to me but that's one of the reasons I love her. She's so…her with her irrational fears and beautiful voice. She's just…perfect.
The clown pops up on the screen again and before I know it, I'm left with a beautiful girl sitting on my lap, head buried in my neck.
"I can turn it off."
"No, you like this stuff. Just-just don't make me get off, yet, okay?"
"Okay."
And I didn't, I didn't make her get off me, or leave me. I woke up to her light snoring and breath on my neck. She'd snuggled into me during the night after she informed me that my bed is more comfortable and therefore, since she had a long day at work the next day, she should be able to sleep in it. The pout and wide eyes were in full effect when she was informing me of this.
Of course I agreed…and yes, I can still hear the whipping noises a year into the future.
She looks up from the phone in her hand and smiles at me, probably wondering why I have a goofy smile on my face. I ignore the breathless feeling, the pounding in my chest that reverberates in my stomach, the way every muscle simultaneously relaxes and tenses in her presence and make my way over.
I smile again as she wraps her arms around me, pulling me in tight. I take in her jasmine scent that lingers around me and take a breath. Finally, I can breathe for the first time all day. This moment and the ones that immediately succeed it are what got me through that autopsy of a six year old with bright blue eyes and dark black bruises. It got me through stress of trying to find a missing body that Dr Jones lost (and I use the term doctor loosely).
It's the end of my shift as assistant medical examiner for the San Theros police force and Karma Ashcroft is single-handedly righting all the wrongs I've seen in the past 13 hours with just a smile.
"Hey."
"Hey, I didn't see you this morning when I got in from work," she says, handing me a coffee with a frown in place and questioning look in her eyes.
"Yeah, I got called in a little early. Body found by the river." She nods her head, sadness weighing her down.
That's another thing I love about her. She cares. She cares about every single body, every single person, every single crime no matter how big or small, she just…cares. That's what makes her such a good officer, that's how I know that this is the perfect job for her, in spite of her killer voice and amazing song writing abilities. Despite how much her family hates that this is her career.
She tugs at her collar and I can't help but admire the way her uniform looks. I know she hates how unfashionable it is but my God does she pull it off well. Yes, I may have a thing for women in uniform an no, I do not care what people think about it.
"How's your day been?" she asks.
"Tough." I shrug. She leans over the table and run her thumb over my hand.
"You wanna talk about it?"
I shake my head.
"Not enough time."
She sighs.
"I know but after tonight, I have the next couple days off. We'll talk then, right? Or in the morning if you want? Okay?"
"Okay." I smile. She's always trying to make me feel better after long, hard days and it always work. "Who're you on with tonight?"
"Reagan."
"Ah, your favourite lady." She sniggers.
"Someone's gotta put up with her, right?" She winks at me and I look down, willing the blush that's threatening to take over away.
"You know she's your favourite." She hums in response, taking another sip of her coffee. I look up and watch the way her throat moves, how she savours the taste of good coffee on her tongue for a few seconds longer than usual. The night shift is tough.
"But she's no you."
"Nobody is."
"You got that right. I better get some best friend time soon, Dr Raudenfeld," she says, semi-flirtatiously. I roll my eyes and smirk.
"Yes, Officer Ashcroft. And what would that best friend time entail?"
"Hmm, dinner at your favourite diner tomorrow after work?"
"Perfect," I whisper, watching the way her eyes light up.
"Good. I am craving their chicken Caesar salad so bad."
"You're craving that every day."
"You know me well, Raudenfeld."
"Considering we took baths together for years when we were little, I'd hope so."
"Mhmm, we should do that again, sometime." She winks and I nearly spit out the mouthful of coffee I just took before composing myself. She smirks. I dramatically gasp before slipping into a southern accent.
"How dare you, Miss Ashcroft? That's scandalous and no way to talk to a lady." She throws her head back, her husky laugh catching a couple people's attention as they walk past, looking like they just got bitch slapped or something.
I once again zone in and admire the column of her neck and wonder what it would feel like to run my tongue over it, to watch goosebumps appear and press my lips to her skin, to nip at the flesh and make her as breathless as she makes me. I smile and turn away, briefly closing my eyes and savouring the images before allowing reality back in. I turn to face her and grin.
"So what time are you home in the morning?"
"Around 8, I think." She shrugs. "Well, I finish at 7 so, yeah."
"Ouch. I'll make you breakfast, if you want?"
"No, it's your day off, too. You should sleep more…or something."
I roll my eyes.
"Like I do on every day off, right?" She laughs again.
"Aims, you really need to learn to relax. I remember when it was impossible to get you out of bed and now it's impossible to keep you in it." I shrug.
"What can I say? I'm a morning person, now. You want breakfast or not? You know I'll be making it anyway."
"Sure."
"Mhmm, that's what I thought. You should go get ready for work," I say, tilting my head towards the clock. She turns to look at the time and sighs.
"Yeah, I should. Doesn't mean I want to." She pouts and I melt.
"I know you love your job. Go on, get going, little lady."
"Urgh, fine," she says, dramatically rolling her eyes and standing up. "Give me some loving, sweet thing." She stands with her arms open and I step into them, savouring her touch.
"I'll see you at home in the morning, Karms."
"Yeah, you will," she says into your ear.
"Keep safe."
"I will."
"And no patrolling outside our place when you shouldn't be. You've got work to do."
She laughs and steps back.
"Sorry for making sure you're safe."
I roll my eyes before patting her on the butt.
"Off with you, woman."
She laugh and throws a wave my way before leaving the coffee shop and walking across the street to the precinct.
I sigh and admire the view, the curve of her hips, the shade of her hair, the uniform before finishing up my coffee and leaving.
"Come and get your love. Dun, du-du-du-dun. Bo, ba-da-bo, ba-da-bo, ba-da-bo, bo. Hail (hail), what's the matter whicha feel right? Don't you feel right, baby?" I sing as I move around the kitchen with a swing in my hips. I'm wearing one of Karma's shirts she uses to work out and shorts. The early morning heat wraps around me.
I love cooking, love seeing Karma's face light up when I cook her favourite things. Home cooked food is something we both miss from our parents and since Karma sucks at cooking, and we're too lazy to drive to one of our childhood houses most of the time, it falls down to me.
But I don't mind, not really.
"I said-a find it, find it. Go on and love it if you like it, yeah." I'm beginning to flip pancakes and waltz around the room a little as I sing painfully out of tune. It's when I turn around and jump back that I spot Karma standing there, shirt open, white wife beater that she's wearing underneath on show. She's leaning against the wall, smirking and I just stand there, mildly embarrassed that she caught me like this…again.
"Nice moves, Aims."
"I got skills."
"That you do."
"Come, sit down, you look tired. Breakfast will be ready in 5. I'll make you a coffee in a minute."
I turn back to the pan and check everything isn't burning.
"You don't need to," she says, disappearing back into the hall. "I went to Starbucks on the way home," she shouts before reappearing in the kitchen, coffee cups in hand. She brushes a lock of hair behind her ear before walking over. "I left them on the side when I took my belt off." She shrugs as she passes a cup to you.
"And that, my lady, is why you're perfect, even though Starbucks is sacrilege to great coffee."
"Oh, I thought it was my good looks and charm and hey, I can drink it myself if you're complaining."
I scoff.
"Sure it is and no, I'm not. Now sit."
"Yes, Ma'am. It smells so good in here. Hold up," she says, sniffing the air. "Is that chocolate chip pancakes I smell?" I laugh at her antics.
"Why yes, yes it is." She claps her hands and I can imagine the grin on her face. "How was work?" I ask. She sighs and I can feel the light mood take an exit, I can feel the weight of her job bringing her down. I turn and face her. She sits looking off to the side like she's looking at nothing before responding.
"Tough."
I turn and finish up the rest of the pancakes, not speaking yet. I know she needs a few minutes to think, to compose herself before I ask what's wrong. I can only wonder which horrors greeted her last night. I can only wonder until she either tells me or I see them in front of me, dead and waiting for justice.
I walk over, placing everything on the table.
The room is still silent.
"Thanks. These look delicious," Karma says.
"Let's hope they taste it."
"Aims, you make the best pancakes in the world, they'll taste great."
"Great enough to see that pretty smile again?" And just like I request, a small smile appears but it's not as big, not as open and honest as usual.
Something must really be wrong.
Instead of sitting opposite her, I take the chair next to her as I throw an arm over her shoulder.
"You know I'm here when you're ready to talk."
"I know," she whispers. She puts head on my shoulder and lifts an arm onto my neck neck as burrows into me. "I know." I squeeze her back and we sit like that for a few moments, finding comfort in one another.
"C'mon, let's eat before the food gets cold," I say into her hair.
Karma pulls back and looks at me, small smile in place before nodding her head in agreement and digging in.
"You're the best, Aims."
"I know."
She giggles as I throw a wink her way and just like that, everything feels a little easier.
A/N: So…new story guys. What do you think? It started off as a one shot just showing their closeness but I think I have a decent plot I could follow…but yeah…would you guys like to read more?
As ever, Karma and Amy do not belong to me, they belong to their respective owners and the like. Also, same with the song used (Redbone – Come and Get Your Love).
Oh and one more thing: I made up the place because I'm English and do not know enough about any American city to set a story there and make it realistic. I also tried my best to not sound English but if I do in places, feel free to let me know and I'll try edit it. It's hard, this writing lark!
Anyways…enjoy!
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