Root awoke and realised it was only just getting light. The sheer curtains were glowing a beautiful orange; the sun must just be rising. Root hadn't seen the sun rise in a long time. She rarely got to sleep before 2 or 3am, and then was woken either a few hours later at about 6am if the machine needed her, or about 8am if she was to be working with Finch and the team. Those early morning hours of sleep were very important to her. It was the only time she ever got to sleep, usually after a long mission and a few hours of computer work for her. She could sit hunched over her computer in one of her secure basement offices from 8pm to 4am easily, stopping only to eat and use the bathroom, and then to go straight to sleep.
She sat up, and looked to Sameen. She was curled over looking away from Root, but her breathing was even and heavy. Root got up gently, and stepped through the curtains. From here she had a view of the whole city. It was early, and amazingly New York was pretty still. Usually cars whizzed along the streets and people were hurrying along the sidewalks, bumping and sidestepping to get through, but right now there was hardly any movement. It was like time had stood still. She stood in her little bubble of peace, and observed. It was nice to be in a quiet place to watch the city sleep. She could see the sun peeking over the horizon, flooding the edges of the city in an orange hue. She stood, almost in a trance, before she heard a shuffling coming from behind her.
She spun around, and saw Sameen trying to sit herself up in bed. She smiled to herself, and looked down to Sameen.
"Sweetie, just ask me for help. I'm here to look after you right now. And you shouldn't be leaning on that arm!"
Sameen grumbled. "I can take care of myself."
"Of course sweetie, but right now that arm needs taking care of, and if I left you, I'm not sure you would give it time to heal."
Sameen grumbled again, but didn't argue this time. She stared up at Root who just smirked back.
"See, even you can't disagree with me. You need me right now Sameen, even though you might not have realised it yet."
Again, Sameen didn't argue, which made Roots heart jump a little. Maybe Sameen had realised, or maybe she was just enjoying Root's company and wanted her to stay! Her brain disagreed. 'She just needs your help. Don't take this too seriously!' And sadly, Root knew this was going to be the case. Sameen just wasn't interested in Root.
Root walked over to Sameen, who was still trying to shuffle up against the headboard with one arm. She lifted her up, and sat her against the back of the bed. She perched on the edge of the mattress beside Sameen.
"How are you feeling? Less pain?"
Sameen grimaced. "Root. Who's the doctor here. Me. So let me evaluate the injuries and you worry about whether my pillows are plump enough, and finding me something to eat." She ended on a smile. However, Root was not smiling.
"Sameen. You let me take care of you yesterday. Why not today? You have been hurt. Really hurt. And I am going to take care of you, including your injuries, whether you like it or not."
She stood up. Sameen opened her mouth to argue, but Root just kept talking over her.
"And yes, I can go get you something to eat. But its 4am Sameen, are you sure you don't want to be sleeping?"
"You woke me up, but no. I'm not hungry right now. I could do with a glass of water though. Please."
Root smiled, Shaw seemed to have forgotten to argue back against being cared for at the mention of food and sleep. She left the room and tiptoed through to the kitchen. She didn't want to wake Harold or John at this time in the morning, somehow she thought the big lug might not appreciate seeing the sunrise if he didn't have to.
She got two glasses down as quietly as she could, and filled each with cold water. She went to leave, then saw a packet of biscuits left on the side. She went to ignore them, but thought a small snack might work well as a peace offering to Shaw.
She slipped back into the room quietly, just incase Sameen was sleeping, but she wasn't. She was sat exactly as Root had left her, flicking through a book from the table beside her.
"Finally. Root, how long can it take to get just a glass of water!"
Root smiled to herself, Sameen must have been feeling a little better if she could complain like that.
"I had to creep to not wake anyone up, and being silent in the kitchen is harder than it seems!" She countered defensively.
Sameen just smiled. "Still, I think hydrating your patient is more important than letting them sleep peacefully!" Root could see that she was just playing with her, but again it was a sign that Sameen was a little better than the night before.
Root stood back in front of the French doors and let the curtains fall around her. She watched the sleeping city, still and silent. IT was a rare sight for her and so she made a point of savouring the few times she was up in the early hours of the morning in time to see the sunrise or this slumbersome city. The buildings surrounding them had few lit windows, and those that were illuminated were only done so by gentle yellow light rather than the harsh white light of working hours. From the high floor they were on, she could see the streets were still with only the odd taxi moving. There wasn't a person in sight out on the streets, just the odd pigeon flitting between branches and lampposts. The street lights were off, and most of the visible city was enshrouded by a dusky light that comes just as the sun is beginning to show. It really was an unusual sight. She must have been lost to her thoughts for a few moments because she suddenly became aware of Sameen's voice:
"Earth to Root... what's she saying to you that's got you so distant all of a sudden? Eugh, I give up."
She shook her head slightly and turned to face the bed. "Sorry sweetie, I was just thinking that's all. What did you say?" She tutted as Sameen turned away from her and looked up into the corner of the ceiling. "Sameen. You aren't three years old. I'm allowed to have a little time to think!" A small smile flittered across Sameen's lips.
"Fine. But you ignored me for the whole of five minutes just then. You're not being a very attentive doctor." Sameen chided. "A doctor should always be paying attention to their patients!" Root stepped across the room, and perched herself on the foot of the bed.
"I am so sorry Sameen; I honestly was just lost in my thoughts. She wasn't even saying anything, it was just me." Sameen didn't look convinced, but Root's slight puppy expression meant she couldn't stay mad at her for long. "Sameen, you really ought to try to sleep a little longer. It's still early, you can get a few more hours at least before Harry and his pet are awake and bothering us."
"I'm awake now Root, can't sleep once I've woken up properly. You'll just have to entertain me for a bit. Or you can sleep if you need to? I'm fine so you can rest?"
Root smiled at Sameen's concern. "Don't be silly, I'll keep you company sweetie. Do you want or need anything?"
"I'm all good at the moment, thanks. Just a little bored."
Root smiled "well I'm sure I could find a few ways to entertain you Sam" she said with a suggestive smirk.
Sameen just grumbled about how she could always make an innuendo. Root laughed, which made Sameen grumble even more.
"What is it that makes you think all these sexual comments are appropriate Root? I'm your goddamn co-worker, would you say these to Finch or Reese or even to Fusco?" Root just smiled and went to speak before Sameen stopped her, "don't even answer that, I know you would do so quite happily." Root just laughed.
"Yeah, Fusco appreciates my little jokes and Reese just finds it funny when I embarrass Harry."
"No, Fusco thinks you're insanely irritating, and okay, it is rather amusing when Finch turns tomato at the things you say." She giggled (or as close to a giggle as Sameen could get), "even I can't help but laugh at Harold's face! He just can't cope with your little comments."
Root began to giggle too. Sameen laughed a little, then winced and clutched her arm. Laughing must have jiggled it a little too much. Root stood up, and propped a pillow under the bad arm to support it enough to alleviate the pain. She sat back onto the bed, cross legged by Sameen's feet. She was so short that she hardly took up half the length of the bed when she was sitting, leaving plenty of room for Root to sit at the end.
"Look at this, two best gals having a sleepover! Which shall we do first; paint each other's nails or do facemasks?"
Sameen used a single finger to show her appreciation at that comment. Root just smiled and stood up. I need to repaint my nails; I must have chipped these two whilst looking after you yesterday. I'm going to go and look if there's a bottle around here anywhere, anything you want?'
"Can you see if there's any liquour in here?"
"Sameen. As your doctor I will not allow you to drink before lunch." Sameen's disgust at the idea of not drinking before lunch showed in her face "Okay, not before breakfast." Sameen still wasn't happy but Root wasn't changing her mind.
"A glass of water would be fine then." She said grumpily.
Root smiled and left the room with a little wave.
Sameen grumbled to herself. She really wasn't used to being looked after by anyone else, and didn't like someone else making decisions and stopping her from doing as she wanted such as drinking at all times of the day. She also didn't usually have to talk to anyone she didn't want to at any time other than when she was at work. And she limited this as much as she could. But in all, this wasn't really that awful. She had never really had close friends not even when she was a kid. Her dad's job in the military had meant that they moved too often for her to make good friends, and she had never connected well with other kids because of her distance from her emotions. This continued into adulthood, and her first real friend would have probably been Cole. She worked with him for the longest and found him the most tolerable of all her co-workers. He also wasn't affected by the fact that she was the more physical and stronger of the two of them, which is what annoyed most men and prevented her from making friends with marines. Women had just always annoyed her. They were all too happy with showing feelings and emotions and this made Sameen uneasy. She also found them to be too catty and too bitchy, always willing to drop a friend when a better offer was made. Sameen valued loyalty too much for this.
John wasn't too annoying, but they didn't really socialise together. Joss Carter was probably the closest to a female friend that Sameen had ever had, but of course that had been cut short by Simmons.
She had never really thought of Root as a friend, but after seeing her be so gentle and considerate towards Sameen whilst never questioning her need for control or dislike for letting someone else look after her had made Sameen think. Maybe she and Root could have some sort of relationship that wasn't simply co-workers. Whilst Root did show emotion, she wasn't quite like other women, and she seemed to understand better than anyone else that Sameen just didn't possess the ability to understand or show the emotion, no matter how much anyone wanted it to show. She accepted that fact and never made Sameen feel an outlier because of it. This was something that very few people had ever done for Sameen, and it was something she was finding surprisingly nice.
It was at this point that she heard Root's footsteps getting closer, and so she made a quick decision. She wouldn't be overly friendly, but from now she would try to be a little less evasive and see where Root would lead them. Maybe something good would come of this, or maybe not. It was worth a try, and having a friend might just be good for Sameen.
Root came back into that room at that point armed with a bottle of black polish and two glasses of water.
"Here you go sweetie, one glass of cold water and a straw to make it a little easier for you."
Sameen smiled. "Thank you Root." Root was a little taken aback at the thanks, but she just didn't say so. She pulled the smaller set of drawers over beside the bed, and sat down at Sameen's feet. She laid out a piece of kitchen towel from her back pocket and started to correct the nails that she had chipped.
"How lucky, Carter had a bottle exactly the same as what I use so I don't have to start again."
Sameen went to reply sarcastically, but remembered her promise to herself. She needed to cut back on sarcasm. Then she realised what Root had just said.
"Did you just say Carter?" She asked, confused.
"Yeah. At least I think it must belong to Carter. When I was looking for supplies for you I found a box with some ladies stuff. There was some makeup and a makeup bag, and a leather jacket. It's not mine and lots of the stuff was pink so I assumed it wasn't yours! I don't think Zoe has ever been here unless John has brought her here, so it must be Joss'."
"Ah okay, I guess that makes sense." Sameen then laughed to herself. "Can you imagine if it turns out to be Zoe's! That would mean John has brought her back here at somepoint without us knowing! Ewwwww!" She cringed.
"Awwh, don't be mean. At least it would mean that the big lug has someone to make him happy. I have wondered if his uptightness is caused by pent up sexual frustration." Root giggled. "I've almost brought him a hooker to try to test that theory before, but she told me that it was wrong and a bad idea. She won't tell me anything personal about any of you."
"Good, it's good to know that she has a little idea of privacy. Does that mean you've asked private questions about us to her Root?"
Root blushed a little, "only a few questions here and there. And only ones that I know no one would ever actually tell me so my only hope was asking her."
"Root, that's not nice. We all deserve a little privacy and everyone has things they don't want their co-workers to know."
"Which is exactly what she said too." Root rolled her eyes. "Sometimes she can be so argumentative!"
Sameen laughed imagining Root arguing with the voice in her ear, making anyone think she was even more insane than they did already. "Anyway, what sort of question did you want to ask?" She realised that sounded too inviting, "I'm not saying I'm gonna answer, I'm just interested in what you want to know."
"Oh just the general things: do any of you have a significant other, and if not whether you have a sexual partner or whether you just aren't doing it."
"Oh Root, that's not something you should know about co-workers."
"Why not? Its only normal human interactions, and its only human to be nosey about these things."
Sameen shook her head. "But knowing you wouldn't get answers surely means the question shouldn't be asked... to anyone, even the mighty robot overlord?"
"Okay, so would you tell me if I asked you?" Root asked batting her eyelashes slightly.
Hell no was Sameen's first thought, but before saying it she thought about trying to make amends with Root. "No Root, because its not something my co-worker really needs to know. A close friend maybe but not just my co-workers." She groaned internally. Did she really just say that out loud...? Sadly, yes she did.
"Oh really," Root frowned. "So you would answer if I was your friend?"
"Not definitely, but maybe." Sameen was beginning to regret her decision.
"So how do I get to friend status?" Root asked, with the big puppy-like eyes again.
Sameen grumbled a little.
"Please Sameen, as much as I know I irritate you, I think you and I could be nicer to each other. I could maybe let up on the innuendos a little if you at least try?"
Sameen grumbled a little more then began.
"Honestly Root, do you think I know. I don't think I've ever had a proper friend. I didn't as a kid or in the Marines. I've always been a loner and an outcast. I was either the new kid or the strange kid who didn't feel anything. I'm happy as I am, but I don't really know what a friend is or what they should do."
Root paused from doing her nails and looked up. "Sameen, do you think I know either? I've had Hanna and that was it. I was the odd kid who liked computers more than people, and then I was the killer for hire. That doesn't allow for friends anymore than your ISA job. Both highly confidential and both involved a lot of travel and consistent long hours. I didn't get a chance to make friends ever just as you didn't."
Sameen held Root's eye contact longer than usual then said, quietly, "I guess I never thought of it that way. You're always so happy and get along with people, and can talk to them. I can't even do that so I have no hope."
"Oh don't be so silly Sameen. Like that would bother me."
"But I can't feel and do as other friends do Root. I don't understand your emotions, and frankly I don't want to deal with them either."
"Sam, I wouldn't ask you to. I know you can't and I know your dislike of them so I wouldn't ask you to do anything unless you wanted to." Sameen smiled a little.
"Shall we try? I can't say I'll be any good, or that I'll even be able to do this. But I will try if you want to?"
Root smiled and said softly, "Yes Sam, let's try."
"Okay, erm, so those questions. You can choose one and I'll think about answering?" Sameen sounded so awkward but the little shy smile at the end showed she was trying.
"Are you sure Sam? That's a big jump I know."
"Root, when do I ever do things by half... and I might never offer again so if you don't take the opportunity now.."
"Okay okay. So, erm, have you got a partner at the moment?"
"Ha. No. Of course not. I don't do relationships." Sameen laughed. "You should have been able to guess that!"
"Is there anything you want to ask me?" Root asked gently.
"Do you?"
"Do I have someone? No. No I don't." She smiled.
"Oh. Okay." Sameen said.
"See that wasn't too hard was it." Root said with a small giggle. "Can I ask another or do you want to stop?"
"One more, then we should both try and get a little more sleep," Sameen said whilst stifling a yawn.
"Okay Sam, do you want to ask me first?"
"No, you ask."
"Okay, so if you don't have anyone currently, do you have someone you sleep with or are you celibate currently?"
Sameen laughed. "Root. I don't do any type of relationship. But no I'm not a nun. I'm a pragmatist. I go out, have a fun night or three and then I, erm, move on."
"Oh Sameen, I didn't see you as one to do that, but each to their own I guess. I've had my fair share of fun nights, sometimes even involving my taser and some ropes."
"Well, it's always been this way. Never been able to do anything long term but can't go without. Have you had one long term?"
"A relationship? Gosh no. In the same way for friendships, I've never been in one place long enough, and my life has always been built on lies so I couldn't be with someone that I needed to be honest with because I could never tell them what I should."
"We're both in the same boat then. I don't think I could be with one person for too long, it would get boring for me. I need variety in life."
"I guess I do too, but it would be nice to have someone constant in my life. I haven't had someone who's stayed in my life longer than a few months after Hanna until you, Harold, and John. And if I survive all our missions, there will be a time where you three are no longer in my life."
"Why do you believe that Root?" Sameen asked sadly. As much as she was not that fond of Root until recently, she had grown to like the woman, even more so in the last few hours where she had cared so tenderly for her.
"Because that's just how my life goes. Always has been, always will be. Somehow I doubt that I will survive longer than these missions do. I think I will die serving her, or she will die and I will no longer have a purpose here."
"Root, don't think like that. What will happen, will happen. And we've got to make the best of it whilst we can."
"I guess, it's just difficult. This is how it's always been, how I've always thought. It's ingrained in me just like fighting and building walls is ingrained in you. I've tried to think differently Sameen, but I've always been shown why I shouldn't think that way. It's always come back to bite me on the arse, and I'm fed up of it. So now, I just don't bother believing. Then it doesn't hurt so much when anyone goes away. It hurts, of course it fucking hurts, but a little less than it could."
By now, Root was tearing up and Sameen was feeling something. A small tug in her chest. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she knew that Root needed comforting ion this moment. So she did the only thing she knew how to.
"Root. I don't really know how to say this, but we as a team need you. As long as we are all here, and as long as someone is alive we will need you. Be it as a co-worker or a companion. In this moment, I need you as my nurse but I also think I need you as a friend. I can't guarantee forever for either of us, but I can guarantee now. And I may get annoyed at you. I may snap and shout and swear and want to hurt you. But I tolerate you Root, way more than I tolerate anyone else, and that's a start."
Root was now bawling. It might have been sad tears, happy tears or a bit of both. Sameen couldn't tell. What she did know is that Root needed a moment. So Sameen opened her good arm and gestured for Root to sit next to her. Root shuffled up the bed and curled into Sameen. Sameen held her, quite awkwardly, but it was enough for Root. She just needed that gesture from Sameen to see that she cared.
Sameen held her tight until the sobbing began to subside. She felt Root grow heavier into her side, and realised she had fallen asleep. Sameen felt a yawn building and so decided that, as Root wasn't going to move anytime soon, she might as well get some rest too. She rested her head down onto Root's, and let her eyes close gently. This wasn't quite what she was used to, but she could get used to this. Having a friend was feeling quite nice.