Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to the creators of the FBI Tv Show. I make no profit from this story.

Key Point: This story is based heavily on their private lives, with a little FBI work in order to keep the story going.

Chapter 2: SAFE

As they pulled up to Maggie's apartment OA thought that the stopping of the car would wake Maggie up, but she was soundly asleep not even flinching when he released his seatbelt.

OA knew better than to shake or poke someone like them awake, not because of the obvious adrenaline crash that she is experiencing at the moment, but because of all the trauma that they have seen. Those first few seconds of waking up can often be confusing for him – not sure where he is, or even who may be around him and his body automatically goes into 'fight or flight' mode. Instead, he softly said Maggie's name, trying to wake her up peacefully. After a few attempts Maggie started to stir.

OA spoke in a calm, soothing voice Maggie had never heard him use before. For a moment, she wasn't even sure that it was him. "Mags, you are in my SUV and we are parked outside of your apartment. You are experiencing a bit of an adrenaline crash after today's events. I'm going to come around to your side and I'll help you into your apartment. Ok?"

Maggie sat up a little straighter and her head started pounding even harder. She hadn't realized the light, constant thumb from the start of a headache until that movement, but now it felt like it had been present for hours already. She leant back against the headrest again to ease the pain.

Slowly she eased herself out of the car and dragged her tired body up the stairs to the security door. Her legs and arms felt heavier than usual, and required more energy than she had available for such a mundane task. By the time they had reached her second-floor landing, she was exhausted and out of breath. Maggie didn't even notice that OA had placed a reassuring hand on her lower back as they climbed the stairs. He did it more for his own sake and piece of mind, in case she stubbled backwards.

'Give me a moment' she whispered, barely loud enough for OA to hear. OA stood patiently at her door, waiting for her to find her keys. He removed his hand from her back and placed it in his pockets in a comfortable position. Maggie immediately missed the comforting, supportive feel. She was starting to feel empty again. The day's activities had been fulling and satisfying, but at the same time they brought the horrible lose that she had once felt back up to the surface. And she really didn't want to be alone in her apartment – the apartment that her and Jason once shared together.

After opening her door, Maggie walked in, dropping her badge, keys and gun on the side table next to the entrance way as she always does. Walking towards the kitchen, she hollered over her shoulder "Want a water?" to which OA replied "Sure." Until that moment OA wasn't sure if he should come in or excuse him and give her some space.

Returning to the living room with waters and apples in her arms, she found OA sitting comfortably on the couch looking at the pictures she has in the coffee table. Maggie made her way over to sit on the couch next to OA. She handed him the bottle of water and apple.

"This is beautiful, Maggie. I never noticed it last time I was here." OA said, a little surprised that he hadn't noticed this before.

"It normally has a lot of different things on top on the table." Maggie admitted a little shyly. She normally made sure that there were odds and ends on the table. It was absolutely beautiful but looking at it often made her extremely sad.

"It was a present from my parents and Jason for my birthday. A week before Jason's car accident … I mean … well, um…" Maggie hesitated, carefully thinking about how to say that now. It wasn't a car accident. They had proved that, but calling it murder sounded wrong and too harsh in her head, so she tried again. "A week before Jason's death, I turned 30 and this was my present. My parents and Jason chose some of my favourite pics which they arranged on the middle glass section of our existing coffee table, and then 'laminated' it with another thin sheet of glass. This over here is the birthday poem from my parents and this one here is from Jason." Maggie explained around the lump in her throat.

OA and Maggie sat in silence while OA perused the photos in front of him. He quickly found his favourite photo – Maggie sitting on a low-slung beach chair; her hair is hanging in light waves down her face and around her shoulders; her eyes are bright and happy; with a smile that could melt the toughest of hearts. She had dug her feet in shallow graves in the sand beneath them. And she wasn't particularly focused on any one thing – she looked completely relaxed and at ease. Not a shadow of a doubt or worry in her mind. OA begged to know what was going through her mind right then and there, wondering what her so happy.

Maggie realized that they had both been silent for ages, and looked up to see OA staring lovingly at one particular photo. It was a photo that she loved dearly of herself. Maggie leaned forward, rubbing her index finger gently over her face in the photo as if that would bring back some of the happiness she had felt that day.

"I love that photo. Well, actually, I love the way I felt in that photo. It was one of the happiest days of my life." Maggie explained.

"Can I ask why?" OA asked, a little unsure of whether he was crossing that invisible line he had always set with previous colleagues or team mates.

He took a swig of his water and put the bottle on the side table, before leaning back and relaxing into the chair. Maggie made herself comfortable next to OA before explaining, "I had been a cop for about 3 years before moving to New York where I joined the FBI. I always knew that I wanted to be FBI and I worked extremely hard for it. This job, our job was my dream – I would do anything for it. I pushed and pushed myself, always taking the most difficult cases, working the crazy shifts. The day I interviewed for this position I was so nervous that I walked out of the interview determined that the next day I would be fired, not promoted. I felt like I had failed, like everything I had worked so hard for, would never come true."

Maggie opened her water and took a sip too before continuing, "The weekend after the interview, Jason took me away for the weekend to try and make me feel better. We went to this quaint, little cottage on the beach in Hawaii. The house was gorgeous and I love the water so I immediately felt at home and relaxed. The world seemed like a different lifetime ago, and I could effectively just be me. It was early Monday morning when I got a call saying that I had been accepted. They would be sending through the contract that afternoon and I was to report to our now offices the following week."

"I was so excited and happy and overwhelmed at the same time. I felt on top of the world. In that moment I could accomplish anything and I had accomplished everything all in one." Maggie said, playing with the bottle top in her hands.

OA watched at she explained how she felt. He could see the emotions running across her face, and would give anything to keep that 200-watt smile on her face as she explained how happy she was. He was concentrating so hard on her smile that he missed what she had muttered under her breath.

"Huh? What was that?" OA asked, confused at how quickly her smile had disappeared. "All I heard was 'opposite'."

"Nothing. It's not important."

"It so obviously is. What did you say?"

Knowing she wasn't going to get away with denying it, Maggie owned up and admitted what she said, "I said – Almost exactly opposite of how I feel now. Like I said, nothing important."

Maggie shifted in her seat, suddenly feeling betrayed by her emotions and eyes as unshed tears started to swell in her eyes. OA put his hand on her shoulder to silently support her, not sure exactly what to say. Though he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

The tears started to slowly run down her cheeks at the feel of comfort and support from his hand.

"He's gone, OA. He's gone." Maggie sound softly, as if saying the words any louder would make them more true.

"He left me. All alone. Just me and all of his stuff." Maggie continued around silent sobs and shallow breaths. OA leaned forward wrapping his arm around her shoulders pulling her head into the crock of his neck and down on to the couch with him. She cuddled in and cried, letting everything she had thought on repeat out.

"It's not fair… He didn't deserve that… Why him? … I don't understand. … We had this whole life planned together… He wanted kids… I told him to wait… That we had time… But we didn't … None of us know when… Just gone… No warning… Gone… I didn't say goodbye or anything … Just gone… and then I'm alone… All alone."

OA rubbed her back and whispered soft words of ok and agreement as she cried in his arms. The crying and soft sobs had quietened down. OA peeked down to see that Maggie was once again asleep, but this time safely tucked into the crock of his arm, calmed by his steady heartbeat beneath her head.