Author's note: I have a feeling that this story is going to be longer than I anticipated. I was originally picturing this around 10 chapters, but I keep thinking of more things that I want to develop. Eh we'll see. Thanks for everyone for putting up with my updates (god I say this every chapter).

Disclaimer: I do not own Parks and Recreation in any way; I'm just a simple fan.

Chapter Seven: Snerling

Snerling was a god awful city.

He and Chris had been there for three weeks and everything about the job made him miserable. Snerling was in terrible shape, everyone there hated his guts, and the stress of the job was wearing him down. Ben felt his nerves fraying and he found himself snapping at everyone. He knew that he needed to relax, he could see Chris's concern, but he couldn't help himself. Irritation coiled and rippled under his skin all the time and it was slowly driving him crazy. The only good thing about his new assignment was that it provided a well timed escape from Pawnee. His last days there still left a bitter taste in his mouth. He and Leslie never quite recovered from their…event. The easy camaraderie that they had built over the weeks had been smashed by the unfortunate (so perfect, so sexy) kiss and her subsequent rejection. He had gone back to the hotel in a daze, his ego more stung than he would ever admit.

Granted, he had gone into the situation with his eyes wide open. It had been dumb, as his subconscious had told him numerous times, and that was it. Leslie had probably done the right thing. She hadn't been an idiot like him and it would be stupid to resent her for acting rationally. Even though he knew all of this, Ben had still been mortified and he had spent his remaining days in Pawnee avoiding her. It hadn't been hard. She must have been embarrassed too because she never visited his office or attempted to talk to him at work. He was grateful for some much needed space. Thankfully, few people noticed that there was tension between them. Sometimes he wondered if she told the other members of the Parks and Recreation department about him. There were days when they would give him this look that was curious and slightly judgmental. It made him squirm. THIS was why he had avoided work related entanglements. But they didn't say anything, so he ignored them.

On his last day, Leslie had surprisingly said goodbye. It had been awkward, both of them unsure what to say, but she had given him a simple kiss on his cheek and wished him good luck. Her lips had burned his skin and for the briefest moment, Ben had been tempted to turn his face so that their mouths would collide. But of course he didn't; he had politely accepted the gesture and smiled. Chris had watched the exchange curiously but seemed relieved that they would be leaving the city without any further drama. Ben had been determined to leave Pawnee and all related issues behind him. Unfortunately, that didn't exactly happen.

Instead of fading away, his time in the small city became sharper in his mind. He couldn't help but compare Snerling to Pawnee, compare Leslie to everyone else. There was nobody like her in Snerling. Leslie had been a sheer force of nature, a whirling mass of ideas and confidence, and everyone in Snerling seemed small and dull in comparison. The citizens of the city were apathetic and the government employees were incompetent. He wanted to throttle them sometimes, rip them apart for letting their city fall apart, and punish them for their failures. None of the new people understood why he was always irritated. They only saw him as a bastard and Ben couldn't exactly blame them. The only one who understood him was partner but fortunately Chris hadn't brought up the subject. Ben could tell that his friend wanted to talk about it but was holding himself back. It was uncharacteristically considerate and Ben was secretly grateful. Thank god for small mercies.

Even though he hated everything, he developed a steady routine in his new city. Every morning Ben would wake up early, grab coffee and a bagel at the local diner (sadly it wasn't as good as JJ) and arrive at work at seven. He would meet with Chris and discuss the daily goals and then he would spend the rest of the day ruthlessly slashing budgets and firing employees. People hated him once again (there were no blonds trying to change his view, thank god) but it was safe and familiar. When he was done, he returned to his hotel room and read until he fell asleep. It was boring and somewhat pathetic but Ben was okay with that. After everything that happened in Pawnee, he was ready to get back to his old self.

XxXx

"Excuse me, Mister Wyatt, Jane Walker is here." Madison, his assistant, said. Ben looked up from his paperwork and nodded.

"Alright, bring her in," he replied with a heavy sigh. He hadn't been looking forward to this meeting. Ben had to fire her due to budget cuts, but the few times they had spoken she had always been bright and pleasant. Ben knew that she deserved better; she had worked for the government for years. However, he had no choice. He really did hate this part of the job. When she entered the office and sat across from him, Ben could tell that she was somewhat prepared for the news. Her face was apprehensive and she was wringing her hands.

"Hi Jane, I'm afraid that your position within this government is no longer available." Ben had always favored direct and to the point. Why sugar coat it? Either way, they would hate you.

"Why? Is it something that I've done?" Jane choked out.

"At this moment, it's more important to focus on your future. While we appreciate your work, it's time to pursue other avenue," he said gently.

"Don't," Jane spat. She looked at him coldly and Ben could see razor-sharp anger and disgust in those dark brown eyes. He hated that look, but god, it was also comforting somehow. This was what he expected at work. He didn't need blue eyes that seemed to expect more, he needed the truthfulness of contempt.

"I don't know how you live with yourself," she scoffed. "Pursue other avenues? Are you kidding? I need this job! I'm a single mother! What am I supposed to do? Go on unemployment? How much is that a week? God, I won't be able to afford any of my bills." She started to cry, great tears rolling down her pale cheeks, and Ben was tempted to reach across and offer sympathy. Yes, it's a shame. Never mind, you're not fired. Everything will be fine.

Instead he sat across from her, silent as a statue, and waited for her to compose herself. "How do you do this to people?" Jane mumbled. She wiped her eyes, sniffed, and stormed out of the room without another word.

Naturally, the rest of his day was exceptionally sour afterwards. Jane had been well liked by her co-workers and different departments, so people were angrier with him than usual. One or two said snide comments under the breath, just loud enough for him to catch a word or two. It was nothing new but he couldn't help but find it unpleasant. Ben sighed. All he wanted to do was open a cold beer and watch some TV before he crashed. When five o'clock finally arrived, Ben instantly headed home to his hotel room. Chris tried to convince him to do something together later that night, but Ben refused. He just didn't have patience for his friend's incessant talking. He picked up a burger and was in the middle of dinner, checking some emails, when he stumbled across one that sent shock through him.

Hi Ben, it's Leslie from the Parks and Recreation department in Pawnee. I wanted to talk to you so I got your contact info from your home office, hope you don't mind. I'm not stalking you or anything, I just miss you. I know that you might not want to talk to me right now, but we're friends. Right? Please let me know how you are. I hope everything is going well on your new assignment.

Sincerely,

Leslie Sanderson

Ben choked on his food, coughing and spluttering, and he stared at the screen in disbelief. Even hundreds of miles away, she had to mess with his life. Leslie had written to him? Why? There was no real reason for them to keep in contact. Writing to Leslie presented an interesting dilemma. He had NEVER kept in contact with someone from a city he had previously worked at. Granted, most people he worked with hated him, but that separation between work and his private life made it easier for him to do his job. But emailing Leslie would change his pattern and he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. He had left this mess behind in Pawnee; did he really want to drag this to Snerling? On the other hand, Ben could admit that his circle of friends was limited. It would be nice to have a pen pal of sorts…and it was only emails. Hardly a major commitment.

He could easily ignore her and avoid the dilemma. The message had been short and exploratory; she wanted to see if they could still have some sort of connection, however small. Ben debated with himself for a couple of minutes before he firmly shut his laptop. He felt slightly guilty but he pushed that feeling aside. He needed some time to think about what he wanted to do. Ben finished his dinner and worked on paperwork until it was time to go to bed, trying to forget about the email. He wasn't too successful (of course). He mind kept going back to that simple message and more importantly, who had sent it. However, he didn't write anything and the days slipped by without any more emails. He began to forget about it.

About a week after the initial email, Ben saw that she had written again. He opened the email with dread but he saw that this second one was even shorter than the first.

Hi Ben, it's Leslie again. I'm sorry; I'm not trying to pester you. I just wanted to wish you luck on your new assignment. I hope we get the chance to talk sometime.

Ben knew, in that moment, that if he ignored this second email she would leave him alone. It was unlike her. She had practically stalked him with waffles for weeks, but after two emails she would give up. He supposed she was trying to be considerate. He went to bed with uneasy thoughts swirling in his mind; he didn't sleep well. When he woke in the morning, Ben knew that he had to respond to the email. As much as he was tempted, he just couldn't ignore Leslie. Plus, she didn't deserve it. It wasn't like they had a horrific break up or anything. He could be nice. Ben's fingers hovered over the keyboard, trying to decide what to say. He took a deep breath and began to type.

You're not pestering me; I was just surprised to hear from you. I'm in Snerling right now and it's a mess. Have you ever been here? Chris and I have our hands full. It's very different from Pawnee, I'm not sure if you would approve. First of all, there's no diner that even comes close to J.J's. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you, but I find myself craving waffles all the time. What have you done to me?

And you're right Leslie, we are friends.

It only took Leslie a day to respond to his email.

You thought I was stupid for trying to win you over with waffles. Guess who's laughing now? Well obviously any place was going to seem horrible after Pawnee. Our city is the greatest city in the world. But I hope that your trip improves. I know that in the end, they'll be grateful for you help. Just like me.

He could practically see the triumphant look on her face as she bragged about JJs and he laughed aloud. He had almost forgotten how ridiculous she could be but man, she was entertaining. Ben read on.

Things in Pawnee are doing much better. It feels like we're back on track. I've been incredibly hectic because I decided to organize a month long Harvest festival. It used to be a Pawnee tradition, but to due financial concerns the event was cancelled. Since you left the city in such great shape, we have a tiny bit of wiggle room. Plus, this is a great chance for the city to produce revenue and create opportunities for future projects. I'm so excited! Everyone else is thrilled. Well, not really, but they will be! It's gonna be for the whole month of September, so if you're in the area you should stop by.

Ben couldn't believe it. How the hell had she managed to convince them to host a month long Harvest Festival? That must have taken serious skill. He quickly typed a reply.

It sounds like an intriguing idea. How big is this event? It sounds elaborate. You'll have to email me the details. Let me know if you need any help preparing any necessary proposals to vendors. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll be able to come. It's busy here and after this assignment we have to return to Indianapolis. I can't wait to be done here. Surprisingly enough, I'm not popular; the people here are ready to sharpen their pitchforks and start bonfires. But I can handle them.

And so it continued. They emailed to each other a couple of times a week; sometimes they were involved conversations, but normally it was a quick hello and goodbye. It was a casual correspondence but Ben found himself looking forward to each email. Leslie's sharp wit made him laugh and he knew that she was amused by his stories about the odd people he worked with.

Work and Snerling seemed to improve and Ben found himself snapping less and less. He knew that this change in attitude was pretty noticeable. Chris was instantly suspicious and he tried to find out what was different, but Ben didn't say anything. He wasn't about to confess his emails with Leslie. He could imagine the look on Chris's face if he told him that he was still in contact with Leslie. Chris would almost certainly spout some new age bullshit about healing and moving on and Ben really couldn't handle that without wanting to kill his best friend. So he kept the emails to himself and immensely enjoyed the privacy. Before he knew it, he and Chris were finishing up and were preparing to leave. The city was still struggling, but he and Chris had set up the proper infrastructure for success. Ben was relieved to be leaving. When they left, there were no tears or heartfelt goodbyes. They simply got in their car and drove away without a backwards glance.

XxXx

"Welcome home boys," Laura greeted with a broad smile. Chris grinned happily and kissed her on both cheeks while Ben nodded in acknowledgement. It was their first day back at the office. Being back in Indianapolis after being on the road for months always made Ben a little disoriented but it was also nice to return home.

"Laura, you're a vision of loveliness!" Chris gushed but Laura merely rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Hey," Ben replied.

"Where's my kiss?" Laura teased but Ben merely rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong with my Benji?" Laura asked Chris pointedly. "He seems a little out of sorts."

"Please don't talk about me like I'm not here," Ben said dryly. "Also, don't call me Benji." Laura smiled impishly and ignored his tone.

"I've missed you too, you dashing boy."

"Ben and I have had an exciting couple of weeks," Chris said brightly. Ben looked at him, to see if he was going to say anything particular about Pawnee, but he didn't elaborate. Instead Chris began to ramble about some new health craze he had discovered and Ben sighed in relief. His friend could be a little loose with his tongue, but it was obvious that Chris was going to keep Ben's lapse of judgment to himself. He smiled in appreciation and let Chris continue his conversation. Laura kept shooting him puzzled looks but Ben pointedly ignored them. He headed towards his desk, which was piled high with various papers and binders. This was one part of coming home that he hated: the cleanup. His desk always seemed to accumulate more and more with each trip and Ben knew that it would take a couple of days to reorganize his things.

"Hey Ben, nice to see you! You both must be glad to be home," Adam, a fellow auditor, said jovially. His desk was across from Ben's. Unlike Ben, who travelled often, Adam only had one or two trips a year.

"Yeah," Ben replied truthfully. "It's nice to be back." He wondered how long Laura wanted him to stay in the home office.

Throughout the day, various people welcomed him home and talked to him about his trips to Pawnee and Snerling. Ben liked most of his coworkers although he wasn't really close to anyone in particular. It was more that they understood the job, the love hate relationship that came with being a state auditor. It was easier to talk about the job and not feel like an asshole. Ben chatted easily enough, although talking about Pawnee made him feel odd. It was impossible to describe what made it different from all the other small towns he had visited. He tried to steer the conversation away from Pawnee and instead discussed upcoming projects. In the afternoon, he tackled his desk. It was tedious work, sorting through what was important and unimportant, and the day crawled by. Ben's eyes kept flicking towards the clock but time was not on his side. He finally got his desk somewhat in order; at least, there were no more mountains of papers. Ben sighed in relief and started to check his emails. He saw that there was a new one from Leslie and in spite of himself he smiled.

I don't know why I thought this festival was a good idea. It's a disaster! Okay, not really, there's just so much going on and everything has to be perfect. I have to give a presentation to get vendors for the festival. We need at least 80. Any recommendations? I tried to get Tom involved, but it sort of ended badly. He was trying to pitch this bizarre video that featured him in a tux while riding a stallion. Don't ask. Also, please tell me that you watched the documentary on Eleanor Roosevelt that aired on Sunday. It was utterly suburb.

Ben chuckled and started to reply when his phone rang. He looked at the number and was surprised to see that it was his mom. She didn't usually call him during the day.

"Hey Mom, what's up?" He greeted.

"Ben, I need you to come home," his mom said in a small voice. She sounded frail, her voice so brittle that it would shatter at the smallest touch, and Ben's insides curdled in fear.

"What's wrong?" He asked urgently. Thousands of scenarios flashed through his head, each possibility worse than the last, and he remembered the last time he had felt such fear. His brother's blank stare holding his gaze, blood warm and sticky, the stained tiles of the bathroom floor…Breathing heavily, Ben closed his eyes and tried to control himself. The world was starting to spin, but he needed to fight the panic pounding in his chest.

"Your father's had a heart attack. You need to come home as soon as possible."

Thanks for reading! Please review! I also want to take a moment and say thank you to the entire cast and crew of Parks and Recreation. I can't believe the show is finished, but it has been such a wonderful journey. I've loved watching it and writing for it. It's truly a remarkable show that people will love and admire for years. I also want to thank all my readers who have shared in my creative process. You guys are amazing! I know that I have the worst updating skills, so I want to say thank you to everyone who puts up with me. I'm so glad that people like my work and I hope that it continues even though the show has ended. I still have a lot of ideas for the show, so I'm not gonna be leaving any time soon.

Shout outs:

-Guest: I'm glad you liked it and I'm sorry for the wait. This fic is a slow burn, for sure, but hopefully it's worth it. Thanks for reviewing!

-Anon: Sorry for the long wait! But at least I won't abandon this story.