Chapter Fifty Five
Before
you take my heart, reconsider
Before you take my heart,
reconsider
Ive opened the door
Ive opened the door
Texas - Summer Son
The booth was cozy and private near the back of the quiet diner. At this time of day it was empty, and she liked that. She enjoyed the normalcy of this. There were no responsibilities, she was here and now in this moment. Flack was sitting across from her, his leather jacket parked in the seat beside him. His wallet lay in the middle of the table, between their coffee cups and plates of piping hot food.
She had been surprised when he'd paid for breakfast. Usually, it was her that picked up the bill. Men knew she had money, so why not. Having Flack actually pick up the tab, made her realize just how much the expectation from other men irked her. Part of the thing she liked about Flack was the way he treated her. There were no expectations from him, no judging.
Mia set her knife and fork down on the table, before wiping the remaining maple syrup form her chin with a napkin. It had been a long time since she had let her dinner manners lax the way she was now.
"Those pancakes were awesome." Mia uttered blissfully, slumping back in her seat feeling full and contented.
"You're welcome." Flack responded, sipping the black coffee.
"So did you just wanna take me out for breakfast, or do you have an ulterior motive?" Mia inquired, stifling a yawn.
All she wanted was to curl up and nap. Flack made her feel warm inside and safe. He set his coffee cup down, his eyes on her face studying the expressions on her face before staring down at his knotted fingers.
"Actually Mia, we need to talk." Flack told her.
"That," she remarked, "Sounds ominous."
"I want to talk about us." Flack offered opening his hands.
Mia's heart raced in her chest as she rose the cup of tea to her lips and sipped from it. It was strong and sweet, not the usual way she took it but it dulled her hangover and the pounding of her temples.
"That's less ominous." she summarized.
Mia inhaled deeply before leaning forward, her elbows resting on the table. She needed to get this out before it went any further. She needed to say it, to clarify the boundaries.
"Just to warn you I am way past the whole 'Wham, bam. Thank you ma'am' part of my life. Just so you know, since you were all man whoreish and stuff.." Mia informed him, holding up her hands in a defensive manner.
Flack frowned, his eyebrows knotted together slightly perplexed by this new change in demeanor.
"Okay." he breathed shaking off his surprise. "I wasn't thinking, I don't want to do that..."
Flack stumbled over his words, something he hadn't done in a long time. The last time he remembered was in Junior High the time he'd accident knocked Sam's books sailing from her hands playing football in the hall. The first time he met Sam.
"So you don't want sex?" Mia put her palm flat against her chest in mock surprise. "With me?"
"I do..." he responded with a shrug. "Just not right now."
"I'm not asking you to fling everything off the table and screw me right here." Mia told him, patting the surface of the table.
"I would do that you know." Flack teased rising to his feet slowly, and using his arm to shift the dishes across the table. "I can do that right now..."
Mia reached forward, her fingers curling around the cuff of his shirt, and yanked him back down into his seat.
"Down boy." Mia responded as Flack raised his eyebrows at her.
Mia entwined her fingers together and rested her hands upon the table.
"So us." she prompted turning her gaze onto Flacks.
"Do you feel like there's something going on here? Or is it just me?" Flack gestured between the two of them with his right hand.
"Oh... I feel it." Mia informed him, taking a deep breath as she turned her head away.
Flack knotted his fingers together, his bright blue eyes on Mia's expression, studying and analyzing it.
"You're not ready." he stated quietly.
"I..." she hesitated, staring at her hands. "I don't know. Patrick meant a lot to me and now he's dead."
"I can't promise I won't die but I can promise to look after you, if you need a friend or otherwise." Flack told her gently.
"I really want to. You've been there a lot for me." She said doodling on the surface of the table with her fingertip. "And I am attracted to you. I just don't think now is the right time. My careers up in flames, I don't think now is the right time for you to be associated with me."
"Let that be my decision." he told her.
Mia hid behind her bangs for a minute before peering between the stands of loose red hair.
"They have big plans for you, you know? The higher ups." Mia said, rolling her eyes upwards.
Flack took her hands softly in his large ones, his thumb caressed over her knuckles lightly, over the cream colored skin. It felt strange to Mia, although she found it immensly comforting she found herself comparing Flack's softer hands to Danny's rough skin.
"Yeah, I know." Flack informed her.
"I need a friend more than I need a lover right now." Mia told him.
Flack tilted his head from side to side.
"I'm good at being both." Flack offered.
Mia smirked before looking down at their interlocked hands.
"I'm sure you are. If I'm not mistaken you lured me here for a completely different reason." Mia tilted her head towards him. "Am I right?"
Flack withdrew his hands from hers, before wrapping them around his coffee mug.
"Mac needs to see you." Flack stated simply.
Mia pursed her lips together; her eyes straying downwards back to the finger doodles on the table.
"Mac can go swivel." Mia told him.
"You don't mean that." Flack retorted.
"No." Mia sighed. "I don't."
"You need to go in and tell your side of the story. Tell Mac you have an alibi." Flack told her, jabbing the table with his finger intently.
Mia interlocked hers finger and leaned forward on the surface of the table.
"I don't." Mia clarified.
"I know you do, the only problem is I can't work out why you're not sticking up for yourself. There's something you're not telling me." Flack said, narrowing his eyes at her.
Mia crossed her legs purposefully, her back straight, her expression a blank mask.
"If you don't do this, your career is over and Jenny will win." Flack snapped exasperated.
"I don't care if she wins." Mia said stubbornly.
"Liar." Flack countered.
Mia shrugged, starting to rise to her feet.
"At the end of the day all that matters is that the people who matter know the truth." she told him, grasping her purse.
Flack tilted his head up to meet her gaze, his hand reaching out and clasping her wrist lightly so she had to pause instead of bolting for the door.
"You didn't do the drugs." he told her, his blue eyes full of acknowledgment as he studied her.
"Never." she agreed, before wrenching her wrist back. "Now if you excuse me I have a party to get ready for."
Flack bit his tongue intentionally to keep his frustration from spilling out and into the diner. His eyes were on Mia as she strode towards the door, the bell jingling harshly as she yanked it open before glancing over her shoulder at him.
"Thanks for breakfast."
Sorry it's been a while between posts. Things have been hectic at work and I've been layed up the past two days sick. To those who like Law and Order check out my new story. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
History: lol you've got your update!
Blue: lol she deserved to be flushed if we're being honest.
Sam: yea she is a cool char.
Nik: The unveiling of the coke in Mia's locker gets revealed next chap.
Dreamer: She put her into foster care, the dad was Patrick's old partner who transfered out to Ohio.
