Haven't written fic in a while and my tastes have wildly changed.
"cringes at old fics"
Anyways, bought control and am loving it (I'm about to turn off the slide projector.) Then realised that Jesse and Trench were contrasting foils of one another and started shipping them.
Title of fic is from the Halou song "Today". It's a neat song and I think it fits this fic quite well.
Don't know how much i'll post...but I'm bored with the quarantine and have hours of Control left to play. So, let's see how long I last!
Un'betaed because I am lazy. I did do a quick read over. But if there are any glaring typos. Just leave a comment and imma fix them.
She'd been watching him for the past half-hour.
He was careful and kept his eyes off her and firmly on his glass of bourbon in front of him.
But she wasn't.
She kept fidgeting with her hands, sending him confused looks.
Also, he had noticed her- Jesse Faden, or "P7" as the FCB has designated her- as soon as she'd entered the bar.
That long red hair, strong jaw, and determined light in her eyes was hard to miss.
Heck, he'd been closely following her progress across America for the past 15 years, charting her development from a young runaway, to an insecure teenager, and then a drifting adult.
So, of course she wouldn't escape his notice.
But for some reason, she had noticed him.
Trench knew he didn't stand out.
In a crowded bar filled with other people of all ages and all types, many of them around his age and wearing similar suits, Jesse Faden had somehow zeroed in on him above all others.
She…she had piqued his interest.
He didn't purposefully frequent the same hangouts as her. In fact, he was surprised to see her.
"The Inventory" was a trendy bar located in the heart of New York's financial district. It was only a few blocks from the oldest house. And as it was Friday, it was pretty crowded.
Trench often went there to unwind after a long day at work. To drink and smoke to his hearts content.
He sometimes frequented other bars in lower Manhattan. Seedier bars. When he needed…more intense distractions. Which wasn't very often. Alcohol and cigarette smoke usually filled that void.
Then he would go to his spartan apartment, sleep a few scant hours, and head back to work.
Rinse and repeat. That was his daily schedule.
He didn't socialise with his underlings that much, and never outside of work. Sometimes he might have lunch or a quick chat with his senior staff, especially Darling, but even that was becoming infrequent.
But to go back to Jesse.
He should just ignore her. Wait her out until she got bored and left.
Or just leave.
There were others places he could go. Chiefly, other bars.
And seeing her was sharply reminding him of the prime candidate program, and P6…
Christ. Maybe he did need a real distraction.
No. Loose sex was the last thing he needed.
A shift in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
It was Jesse.
She'd gotten up, then sat down again. Still fidgeting. This time with the sleeves of her faded leather jacket.
Trench sighed and stubbed his cigarette out. He didn't know if it was his fifth or his tenth. The ash tray was overflowing.
He may as well just finish his whiskey and then leave.
There was no point in staying around.
But before he could signal the bartender for his check, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Swallowing another sigh, he turned and met Jesse's determined gaze with a steely one of his own.
"Yes?" He asked curtly.
Jesse faltered for a moment. Her eyes dipping to the floor for a split second, before she raised her head and met his eyes with more determination than before.
Well, he couldn't fault her stubbornness.
"I've been watching you." She said strongly.
"I've noticed." He deadpanned.
Jesse bit her lip. But didn't falter. Not for one moment.
"Can I…sit with you?" She said demurely, an undercurrent of interest in her voice.
He had to resist pinching his brow out of embarrassment.
He hadn't been sure before. But she was coming on to him.
Jesse was an attractive woman. But she was half is age.
His instincts told him that she was lying. Her flirting was a smokescreen for something else.
An excuse to approach him.
Anyways, he wasn't interested. Both in what she was falsely implying, and in what she really wanted.
Well, that was a lie, for the latter at least.
"You're too young for me." He turned her down, tone firm but polite.
"I just want to talk." She pressed, a hopeful note in her voice.
"Go and find someone your own age, kid." He said.
She narrowed her eyes at him and huffed in annoyance.
"This is a free country. We're both adults. And I meant it, I just want to talk. I'm interested in you. Not just in that way" She said.
She really doesn't know when to give up, does she? Trench thought.
He got the feeling, that if he turned her down again, she would just stick around until he left. She would probably even follow him.
Jesse Fayden was stubborn like that. She'd spent the past 17 years searching for her brother and the bureau that had taken him, doggedly pursuing every lead.
She had somehow latched onto to him as another lead, sussing out his connection to the FCB.
Which was promising.
It might be a Paranatural thing. Maybe she was "attracted" to him because of it.
If he could get a measure of her, it could help the Prime Candidate program.
Jesse was…second to her brother. In both consideration for the role of director, and other matters.
Maybe, just maybe, she could replace him as director sooner than later. And then he would finally be free.
So, he stared at her with a cooler expression, pretending that he was seriously mulling over her proposition.
"All right. Let's talk. Have a seat." He said, gesturing to the bar next to him.
Jesse widened in her eyes, then quickly hid the surprised gesture by quickly nodding and climbing up next to him.
"Before you ask, the answer is no. I'm not going to buy you a drink. If you want one, purchase it yourself." He said coolly.
Jesse glared at him, her blue eyes flashing with anger.
"I wasn't going to ask. It's pretty clear you're not the type anyway." She shot back.
Trench huffed dryly.
"You don't know what "type" I am." He said.
"Sure, I do. I knew it when you called me a "kid" …old man" She argued immaturely.
"If you just want to trade immature barbs with me, then I'm sorry, but I'm not interested. We either have a real discussion- a "talk", or we part ways." He said.
"All right. Where do you work?" She asked steadily.
She starts too strong and exposes herself. When you interrogate someone…when you want to find out information about them, you start low. I can dance around her easily. He mused.
"I work for the government." He supplied.
"Which sector?" Jesse continued.
"That's classified information. But I can tell you is that it's very boring. Tantamount to a desk job." He said, smirking at his own joke.
"Where do you work?" He asked before Jesse could get in another question. Even if he already knew the answer.
"I'm a part time janitor. At a hospital." She told him quickly. Her voice was breathless and excited.
He stole a quick glance at her.
She seemed livelier. For some reason.
"That sounds interesting." He said.
"Oh, it is. I unclog lots of toilets." She smirked at him.
"You do important work." He returned her smirk.
Jesse swallowed, pretending to be flustered.
"Thank you." She mumbled.
"The janitor who works at my office is a Finn. He's quite capable. You could argue he works harder than I do. I have much respect for him...and people who work similar jobs." He said, thinking about Ahti.
He works a lot harder than I do…
"You…" she said lowly. She seemed taken aback.
"You're surprised I care?" He asked.
"Not many CEOs care about blue collar workers." She said.
"Who said I was a CEO?" He ventured.
"You have a certain gravitas about you. You strike me as a leader. And um…I approached you because I noticed you're not married." She indicated his right hand.
"I thought you weren't interested in me." He said. He didn't want to think about Kate…and Susie.
"I'm not. Well I was. But now I'm not." She said carelessly, flagging down the bartender and ordering a drink before turning back to him.
"Have you worked other jobs?" He said.
"Plenty of them. I've been a waitress, plumber, delivery driver, among many other delightful jobs."
"I've worked for the same company my whole life."
"We couldn't be more different."
"Difference is good."
"Not all the time."
"Most of the time."
"I agree. So, do you come here often?"
"You're very nosey."
"I think it's one of my finer qualities."
"It is. It's good to question things. More than you know…"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing. To answer your previous question. Yes, I do come here often."
"Hey! Don't dodge."
"I haven't asked a question in a while."
"Fine. We'll do things your way. Ask me something, then I'll ask you something."
"Who said you could dictate the rules of our engagement."
"I did."
"Very well. I'll give you an easy one. What's your name?"
"Jesse Faden."
(beat)
"I get it. I get it. What's yours?"
"Zachariah Trench."
"That's…very emblematic. Pardon me for saying so. But it just seems to fit you."
"It is. You could say I view my job as a Trench. Something I have to defend."
"It sounds like you work for the military."
"I don't. But you're close."
"What do you think of my name?"
"It's my turn to ask a question. Little lady."
"I wasn't- don't call me that. Ugh. Just answer. It wasn't a real question."
"I'll let you off. Your name suits you. It's both strange and catching."
"Catching?"
"It's the type of name you notice. In contrast, Zachariah Trench is rather plain."
"Well, your surname is. But I don't know many people named Zachariah. It's biblical."
"It is. My mother was an ardent Christian. She always said if she had more children, she would've named them after biblical figures. But alas, I am a single child."
(beat)
"Jesse? Are you- "
"I had a brother."
"Had?"
"He's gone."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You…you didn't have anything to do with it. It was a long time ago."
"Let's go back to questions?"
"Sure."
"Do you know many people?"
"Plenty. But I wouldn't say I have many friends."
"You strike me as the type who has an itinerant lifestyle."
"I've been all over the US of A."
"Same here. When I was younger. It was for work. Nowadays, I just stay in NYC."
"Hey. We kinda have something in common."
"We do indeed…"
"Tell me about your travels."
"Too broad."
(Jesse sighed, but it was far more light-hearted than before, Trench ordered another drink, as did she.)
"Tell me about some of your travels, please."
"Good girl. Well, I've been to Hawaii..."
(They spent some time chatting about his travels, and Jesse told her about some of her own. Zachariah knew well enough where she'd been, but it was fascinating to just hear her talk. She was so excited about everything.
Time began to blur.
Eventually she asked him about his last trip. And he told her about the Bright Falls incident without mentioning any of the specifics. It was amusing.)
"Why did you go there?"
"A writer had gone missing. We even had to trawl the lake for him."
(beat)
"Do you investigate missing people?"
"Sometimes."
"How cryptic. But I won't press you. The writer, did you find him?"
"No."
"Ummm…Mr Trench- "
"Zachariah. Call me Zachariah."
"All right. Call me Jesse. I- shit, how I ask?"
"You don't have to ask now."
"What?"
"We could run into each other again."
"Do you want my number?"
"No. I'm being metaphorical. I just have a feeling that we'll chat again. Soon."
"Are you leaving?"
"Jesse, it's 11. I need to get home and sleep."
Jesse blinked and stared at him.
Trench chuckled. She hadn't notice him check his watch.
"The night is still young." She insisted. "Young-ish. She corrected herself."
"I'm not. You are. Go and have some fun somewhere." He suggested.
"I don't do that." She said.
"Well, you should. Before you get to my age." He said and signalled the bartender for his check.
He had been very foolish. Untimely foolish.
He had enjoyed himself. He didn't know if it was the alcohol…or just Jesse.
She was…different. Not what he had thought. With her, time had gone by in a blur.
It'd been so long since he had met anyone new, and just enjoyed their company.
"Can we meet here tomorrow?" Jesse asked, a familiar undercurrent in her voice.
"I'm not going to give you what you want." He said.
"Are you sure? I think you'd enjoy it." She said and laughed. It wasn't flirty. Thank God. She was just teasing him.
He didn't answer her and averted his eyes.
The bartender came and he paid. Jesse asked if she could pay alongside him. She's drunk a fraction of what he had. He'd drunk more than he should.
"Zachariah?" Jesse said his name.
"Yes?" He said.
"I'll see you around. I want to see you again." She surprised him.
"Same here." He admitted, immediately cursing under his breath. The alcohol had really loosened his tongue.
Jesse smiled at him; a warm, grateful smile.
He didn't want to give her false hope.
He turned and hurried out without saying goodbye.
Jesse didn't follow him.
She had reminded him of P6, and how he never paid any attention to the boy.
He had put the P6 project into Darling's capable hands and had focused on P7-Jesse.
Maybe he should just check in-
/ It had been a mistake.
Darling had warned him not to check on P7- Dylan.
The boy was a mess. Both psychologically and paranaturally.
He had killed several agents over the years with his outbursts. Good people who shouldn't have met their end at his hand.
It wasn't the boy's fault. Not entirely.
He almost gave up hope. Dylan was meant to be his successor.
But he was in no fit mind to run the FCB, let alone keep a hold on his powers.
But it meant he failed again. By stepping back from the prime candidate program as he had…he had failed.
Failed the Bureau. The boy. Himself.
Unacceptable.
He just hadn't wanted to fail another child-
That didn't matter. The FCB mattered.
As much as he hated being director and having to micromanage the whole bureau, he…he didn't want to put it under the rule of someone who would lead it to ruin.
So, he had to change his tact and look at the other candidates.
Well…candidate.
P7.
Jesse.
She was the only one.
If she even would want to be director.
And she was a young adult with no formal training. The least kind of person he liked relying on.
He would have to meet with her again.
But first…he had to unwind. /