The restaurant wasn't as packed as she thought it would be, she had to remind herself that it was 8:30 on a Monday night. She had chosen a sushi restaurant near both of their homes on NE Albert and, much to her surprise, Marcus said it was one of his favorites. They were seated immediately in a quiet corner of the restaurant and Abby picked up a menu.
Marcus could tell that she had no idea what she was doing and when she glanced at him, he had a fond look on his face as he watched her brows crinkle in confusion over what she was looking at. He asked, "Sushi isn't your thing, is it?"
"I haven't had it in years," she said, blushing slightly at having been caught. He smiled and looked down, she knew that he understood whose idea the location had been because it certainly wasn't hers.
"We could always go somewhere else," he suggested, though she could tell that he really wanted to stay.
She shook her head. "What would you recommend?"
"I normally get the California roll," he said, not bothering to glance at the menu. "I think you'd like the spicy salmon roll."
"You do now?" Abby said, eying him skeptically. He smiled and replied, "Yes. I would like to think that I've gotten to know you at least a little over the past week."
Her gaze didn't waver from his and it was almost a challenge for him to tell her exactly what he knew now. He had complained a week ago about not knowing anything about her when she knew his childhood secrets thanks to his mother. He smiled, but didn't accept the challenge. "I believe you have some news for me?"
"Over dinner."
He was quick to point out, "We're at dinner, Abby."
She shook her head. "I don't see any food."
He smiled and nodded. "You are right, there's no food. We certainly can't call this dinner despite the ambiance, waiters, and chefs around us."
She rolled her eyes and asked, "How was your day?"
It turned out that Marcus had gone back to work. At least, he had met with his captain, David Miller. Miller asked him to take control of the juvenile outreach program — A.R.K. — while he was on limited duty. The captain thought it was a good fit due to the fact that Marcus was the founder of the program along with his old partner, Jack Scanlan, who primarily worked with runaways now.
The waiter came and Marcus ordered them each a bottle of Sapporo before placing the food order. The beer was brought almost immediately and Abby looked at the bottle with apprehension. He commented, appraising her over the lip of his bottle, "It's not going to bite."
"Well, that's lucky, I'd hate to have a sore lip," she said as she raised the bottle.
His eyes widened in surprise, but he recovered quickly and said, "We can't have that. You look nice, by the way."
She had called Clarke on her way back from Vera's knowing that she was going to be late to Marcus' as it was. Her daughter had picked out the outfit, settling on something less risqué than she had tried before, but the plunging neckline of the red dress was still doing its job by drawing Marcus' gaze to the revealed skin whenever he thought she wasn't looking. She knew he wasn't staring at the wedding ring necklace either.
"Thank you, so do you," Abby said, her eyes raking over him. He wore gray pants and a black dress shirt without a tie, the first few buttons undone to reveal a light expanse of chest hair. She tried not to look, knowing it was ridiculous to stare when she had already seen him shirtless twice. But she couldn't keep her eyes off of him, feeling something stirring within her that she hadn't felt since Jake died.
They talked throughout dinner about their kids: Clarke and her artwork, Bellamy and his training, Octavia and her horse. Abby was surprised that he had gotten Octavia a horse, but he said that it was through her work at the ranch. Titus Woods was an old friend and had given the beast to her for all of the hard work she did for him.
"Why 'Helios?'" She asked as she slipped the cash into the check billfold.
He shrugged as he stood to leave. "Both Bellamy and Octavia are obsessed with Greek mythology, I think their mother read it to them when she wasn't on a bender."
She nodded and didn't press the subject further as they walked out of the restaurant. Marcus took her hand as they started down the sidewalk, heading in the direction of his house. It was only twenty minutes to the restaurant and Abby never knew about parking, so she preferred to walk when she could. Besides, they both had 3 beers and shouldn't be driving.
She noticed that he was very talkative when he was inebriated, even as slight as it was at the moment. When he started on his mother, she remembered the whole reason for the date. She had been so engrossed in what he was saying at dinner that she had completely forgotten the news she was supposed to deliver.
Abby squeezed his hand when there was a break in the conversation and he looked at her. She smiled and said, "Did you want to know that news?"
The realization dawned on him; he had completely forgotten about it too. "Please."
She ran her thumb over the back of his hand and said, "The results of your test came back today. You're a match, Marcus."
He stopped abruptly, pulling her to a standstill with him. She watched a slow smile spread across his face and their eyes met. He asked, "I am?"
She nodded. His hand curled around her waist, pulling her close to him. She looked up at him, seeing a mixture of relief and gratitude in his eyes, but she couldn't put a name to the third emotion. He smiled at her before his lips descended on hers. His hand slid up her back and along her neck — she shivered against him at the sensation — until he was cradling her jaw. She slid her arms around his neck, crossing her wrists behind him. She smiled into the kiss as he started to deepen it, pulling her even closer to him.
"How'd an asshole like you get a girlfriend like that?" A voice called from behind them. Marcus broke from Abby and turned around. A teenage boy was in the road, rolling a skateboard under his right foot. Marcus' eyes darkened as they met the boy's.
Abby was forced to release his hand as he took a few steps toward the boy but thought better of it. The boy smirked and asked, "How's that shoulder holding up, Kane? It's a shame someone got the better of you."
"How's your parole going, Mr. Murphy?" Marcus asked, glaring at the boy.
Murphy just shrugged nonchalantly.
"You do understand that your parole has a curfew?" He asked, glancing down at his watch. It was 10:05 p.m. "You're five minutes past."
"Who cares, Kane?" Murphy asked. "Just leave me alone."
Marcus sighed and said, "Mr. Murphy, we both know that you need—"
The word 'help' died on his lips as Murphy spat, "Don't you dare tell me what I need. I would be fine if you hadn't arrested me."
"You were setting a fire, John!" Marcus yelled, his hand flying up in rage. "You expect me to just let that slide?"
Murphy rolled his eyes and stepped onto his skateboard. "You wouldn't understand."
Marcus' brows lowered in confusion and he was about to ask a question, but Murphy shoved his foot against the ground and pushed the skateboard away, taking himself with it. Marcus' eyes followed the boy as he disappeared into the night.
Abby watched him for a moment before she took a step toward him and placed her hand gently on his arm. He startled and turned to her. He was frowning as he asked, "Would you mind if we took a detour? I want to check on something at the station, it's not far."
She said, "That's fine, the rest of my night is still free, believe it or not."
He smiled at her and took her hand again, leading the way.
The North Precinct of the Portland Police Bureau was surprisingly quiet when they arrived. He led her back to his desk in the Youth Services Division. It was pristine, with nothing on it but his computer, a jar of pens, a photo of the Blakes, and his trays of case files. He motioned to the chair next to the desk and Abby sat down, glancing around the room.
They were the only people there and she wondered where the normal officers were. Marcus was rifling through the case files on his desk and she sat there, watching him. His frustration grew as he couldn't find what he was looking for, muttering dammit every other file that wasn't the right one.
The door opened ten minutes after they arrived and a dark-skinned woman walked in, her eyes finding Marcus at his desk immediately. She was dressed in plain clothes, so Abby figured she was a detective too and, given what Marcus had told her, she assumed the woman was Indra Rowan.
"I heard you were spotted in the building," she called as she crossed the room toward them.
Marcus glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you the same question," she replied, coming to a stop next to his desk. She crossed her arms and looked at him sternly. "You know you shouldn't be in the building while you're on medical leave and you brought a civilian, too."
He gave her his best smile and glanced at Abby before he replied, "I know you are capable of letting it slide, just for me. Right, Indra?"
She glared at him for a few seconds before her cold facade died and she smiled at him. "Fine, just for you, Kane." She leaned against the corner of his desk and asked, "What are you doing here? And why did you bring your date?"
"I'm looking for the case file on John Murphy, we ran into him and something he said bugged me." He replied, turning his attention back to the stack of folders. Indra walked around to her desk — which was pushed against the front of his, facing it — and grabbed a folder from the surface. She held it out for him and his eyes narrowed at her. "Are you stealing my arrest reports?"
She shrugged. "You weren't here; as your partner, I needed to finish it."
"Thanks," he said, accepting and opening the folder.
Indra turned her attention to Abby who had been sitting quietly during the exchange, watching their dynamic with interest. The detective asked, "So you're really dating this guy?"
She grinned at Indra and replied, "Well, I saw him shirtless and it was all over for me."
Marcus looked at her, a blush creeping up his neck, and Indra laughed. She said, "I've seen better."
Marcus glowered as he turned his attention back to the file. Abby smiled at his annoyance, her eyes finding Indra's as the woman asked, "Really, what is it about him that makes someone like you want to date him? I, personally, think he's too much of a softie to be with. I like my men tougher."
"Indra," Marcus warned, not bothering to look up.
Abby smiled and said, "I think what did it for me was seeing him almost pass out from a simple blood draw."
"Marcus doesn't like needles," Indra affirmed with a nod.
He muttered, "I should have never introduced you two."
"You didn't," Indra pointed out. "But I know she's Abby and she knows I'm Indra. You're just as much of a gossip as your mother, Kane."
"I am not," he said defensively, looking at her incredulously.
Indra said, walking toward her desk, "Sure you're not."
Abby smiled as the two started working as if it was just another day on the job. Indra had come to the precinct to catch up on her reports, apparently they needed to submit their crime numbers and she was behind. Their captain had told her it was either come in late or come in early.
"We should arrest that Murphy kid solely because he took away my workout buddy," Indra said, not looking away from her computer screen.
"Is Bellamy not good enough?" Marcus asked, jotting down a few notes from the report.
"He's better, he should be training with my brother," she said with a smile. "But I like the challenge of trying to whip you into shape."
"I'm in shape," he retorted, glaring at her from across the desks.
"Sure you are," Indra smirked. Abby smiled to herself, knowing that he was, in fact, in good shape. "You could be better."
"Not all of us can be you, Indra," he said with a roll of his eyes.
"When can he start working out again, Doctor?" Indra asked, glancing at her over the computer.
"About 12 weeks post-incident; he needs to have good strength back in his shoulder before he can start anything serious." She replied, her eyes on Marcus as the information settled in. He already knew it, but hearing it said aloud was different than reading it. He seemed to deflate with the knowledge that he had another two plus months before he was even close to being healed.
"Another ten weeks of having someone who can actually keep up with me?" She asked, her eyes wide in mock horror.
"Bellamy insists that you kick his ass every workout," Marcus said, shutting the file with a snap. He tossed it onto her desk as he added, "He doesn't understand how I manage them."
"He's humoring you, Kane," Indra said dryly. "He's probably wondering how you haven't had a heart attack yet."
He just shook his head and rose to his feet. "Whatever you say. Have fun with your reports."
She ignored him and as Marcus led Abby to the door, she said, "It was nice meeting you, Indra."
"You too, keep that one healthy, I fear he needs the assistance."
Marcus scowled as he pushed open the door. Abby smiled and said, "I like her."
"Someone should," he retorted, taking her hand as they walked down the hallway.
They were on his porch twenty minutes later, seated next to each other on the swing hanging in front of the tv room window. The night was still and Marcus had his arm around her, her head was on his shoulder. The swing was rocking gently, aided by his feet planted on the porch. Abby could feel herself growing sleepy and knew that she should leave.
Instead, she found herself wrapping her arms around his stomach and burrowing her head deeper against his shoulder. He ran his hand along her arm and said, "Are you tired?"
"I'm fine," she said quietly, her eyes still closed.
He chuckled lightly and said, "You're stubborn, do you know that?"
She nodded against his shoulder. "I'm well aware."
He continued to stroke her arm as she rested against him. It was several minutes before either of them spoke. Abby whispered, "Would you want to go with me to the fundraising gala in a few weeks?"
There was surprise in his tone as he answered, "Of course. Black tie?"
She nodded against him. "When aren't they?"
He shrugged. "I've never been to one, so I wouldn't know. I'm just going off instinct."
She smiled and leaned up, looking at him. "Your instinct is correct most of the time." His eyebrow quirked up. She clarified, motioning to his injured shoulder, "You thought that was a dislocation."
"No, I hoped it was a dislocation," he responded. "I was being optimistic."
"Sure," she said, not believing him for a second. She yawned and muttered, her head sinking against his shoulder again, "I should really get going."
"Now you listen to me. Stubborn, I told you." He said, rolling his eyes. She pinched his side for his remark before pulling away at last. She leaned close, kissing away the smirk on his face. He smiled against her lips and murmured, "Delaying some more?"
Abby gave his hair an affectionate tug as she pulled away. "I would nev—"
She was interrupted by light footsteps on the porch and they both turned to find Octavia near the door, trying to sneak passed them. Marcus raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where have you been?"
"Out," Octavia said with a shrug.
Abby could sense that she wasn't supposed to be. She stood from the seat and touched Marcus' arm. She said, "I'll leave you to whatever this is. I'll call you, okay?"
He nodded, his eyes on his daughter.
"Sneak around the back next time," Abby whispered as she passed Octavia. The girl smirked but Marcus called, "I heard that. Don't give her any ideas, Abby."
"I would never! I think you're having trouble hearing already, Marcus," she called over her shoulder, smiling at his glare.
Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated! :)
-Lauren
