Wanted

Authors Note: This fanfiction is based post season 3 of Rush but before season 4 begins. The TR unit is staffed as it is at the end of season 3 however for creative purposes Tash has never entered the equation. My apologies if this is a little rough around the edges; it's been a while.. so any feedback is appreciated.

There was a crash from table 9 as the waitress stumbled and dropped the tray full of the TR crews drinks, Lawson's coke splashing all over the bewildered elderly man sitting in front of her as the waitress didn't hesitate to turn around mortified and rush back towards the kitchen without so much an apology.

It was only as the last bit of her long chestnut hair whipped over her shoulders that Lawson realised her recognised her face. He went to speak before thinking better of it and closed his mouth again.

Their drinks reappeared a few moments later, a younger bubbly blonde waitress holding them this time passing them around. Josh smiled and thanked her before turning back to the conversation about the targets that were expected to arrive into town the following day.

"Lawson. You right?" Josh enquired when he didn't get a response from his query.

"Yeah yeah. Just got to take a leak. I'll be back in a minute." Excusing himself from the conversation Lawson stood up and wandered back towards the kitchen where the toilet door was located. Touching the arm of the blonde waitress briefly he got her attention and she turned to him.

"That waitress, the one that dropped the tray. Is she alright?"
"Yeah she's fine. Probably out the back getting heckled by chef" the young girl laughed. "She gives him hell if he messes up one of her orders so they'd be having a field day with her crash."
Lawson laughed with her in response, waiting for the girl to take the coffees sitting in front of her out to the tables before stepping past the counter and into the kitchen.

"Oi! You're not supposed to be in here" the Chef looked up in surprise not expecting to see anyone other than his wait staff in the back of house area.
"Sorry mate, I was looking for your bathrooms?" Lawson queried.
"Other door." The chef informed him. "But since you're halfway through just nick out the back door, then it's first on your left."
Lawson nodded his thanks and headed out the backdoor spotting the waitress standing outside leaning against the wall in the courtyard a bottle of water in hand and her head down focusing on the weeds in between the pavers. He let out a breath before walking over to her.

"Grace?"

The brunette looked up slowly, hesitating before looking up at Lawson, avoiding all eye contact.

"It's Anna." Was all she said.

Lawson looked her up and down in a brief cursory look. The young woman standing in front of him was definitely Grace Barry. Yes she had aged a couple of years and her hair colour may have changed but her height, her body structure and most of all her face was still the same as the young senior constable he had once worked alongside with although her eyes lacked the sparkle that had once radiated from them. Confident that he was not mistaken in her identity he pressed forward.

"Alright…Anna. I'm Lawson, nice to meet you" he replied putting his hand out to shake hers.

Anna shook her head quickly. "You can't be out here. It's staff only!" she replied quietly, clearly distressed by the meeting. She lowered her voice so that it was whisper soft. "Lawson, don't. Please just.. go away. You can't be here. You have to go. Now."
The younger woman in front of him was quickly working herself up into a panic and Lawson reaching out to touch her upper arm. Anna pushed him away as quickly as he moved, taking a step to the side before pivoting, instinctively moving so that she was no longer between Lawson and the wall, at the same time looking around for an escape.

"Grace..Anna… just stop for a minute. What's going on? What are you doing here? What.." he trailed off as she spoke.
"Lawson you haven't seen me OK." For the first time acknowledging that she was the person Lawson was referring too. "…Did anyone else?" she asked, obviously worried.
"No… Just me. You moved pretty quickly. What's going on?"
She let out a breath. "Grace is dead Lawson. Please…just go. I can't tell you anything more and you can't tell anyone you've seen me. Please. It's important."
Lawson nodded at her request, his brain finally starting to catch up with the scene that his eyes and mouth were playing out in front of him. "I get it. Mum's the word."
"Lawson?" she added, waiting until he nodded. "That means Josh too... He can't know." She finally met his eyes, her once lively brown eyes now hidden behind green contact lenses, but even the lenses couldn't hide the emotion in them. "Promise me.."
He hesitated before nodding his agreement. "I won't tell him…and if you give me 15 I'll clear us out of here." He offered.
Anna smiled her gratitude "Thank you."
Lawson nodded again before pulling her into a hug, Anna tensing initially but allowing herself a brief moment of comfort. "You take care," he whispered before letting her go, she nodded into his embrace before pulling back slowly."
"It was nice to meet you Lawson." Anna pushing her wall straight back up and quickly dismissing any evidence that she recognised and knew the man in front of her from her face before ducking back into the kitchen, locking the door behind her.