Vinnie panted as he chopped wood. Every swing of his axe venting some of the frustration he felt. It had been a hard week. It had been too tempting to watch Maura Isles from afar. Too tempting to spoil her fun. He had stayed away while they were together for fear of his brashness spoiling his plans. He had spent the better part of the week preparing the cabin, stocking it with canned goods, he'd gone fishing, and walked the perimeter of the land memorising every bit of it he could. When he struggled to stay away, he chopped firewood. Swing after swing splitting round after round until he was sweat soaked and too exhausted to make the drive in to town. He knew where she was. He'd find her when it was time. He didn't have to wait too much longer. After all, what was six weeks of patience to a life time of Maura Isle's pain? That made Vinnie grin. He would wait, after all, there were plenty of rounds to chop.
Noemi watched the clinic waiting room fill and empty in turn. The nurse they had come to talk to had promised to answer a few more questions and to look at Aarna's hand during her lunch break. A lunch break that was happening well after 2 pm, apparently. Aarna had slipped in to a comfortable doze on Noemi's shoulder about thirty minutes ago. Noemi had to resist resting her own head on Aarna's. It took every ounce of willpower to not turn and bury her face into Aarna's sweet jasmine smelling hair. Noemi's mind was always racing when she was with Aarna, always trying to calculate what 'normal friends' do and what they don't do. Noemi was fairly sure 'normal friends' didn't sniff each others hair. At least, not on purpose and not for extended periods of time. Not to the point of having that smell memorised. Noemi swallowed a sigh.
In the beginning, it had worried Noemi. She paid more attention to Aarna then any one else in the world. Noemi had studied Aarna like her life depended on it. She had felt torn. Compelled and guilty for the way she felt. Noemi didn't know what it was but she knew it wasn't like anything else she'd felt. Forbidden. That's what Aarna felt like. Every smile had beckoned Noemi closer, begged her to indulge, promising things Noemi couldn't put a name to. Aarna's eyes always seemed to spark, capable of saving lives and destroying whole swaths of land. Noemi still wasn't sure she wasn't going to be left decimated by this tryst.
That it was a tryst, Noemi took for granted. Every time Noemi thought about it being more… meaning more… she pictured her Lola's face. Twisted in fury, disappointment and disgust. Her Lola who had changed her diapers, fed her, clothed her, raised her, put her through school. Her Lola who she loved more than anything. Her Lola who was deeply religious and extremely conservative. How many prayers had Noemi been forced to utter in Mass for the sin-filled homosexual? Those sick minded despots who dared to love someone of the same gender? How many times had she heard her Lola whisper a fervent amen, the sound of it reverberating through her ears and straight through her heart? Noemi could do just about anything she set her mind to. She'd survived her parents death, she'd learned English as a second language, she'd been valedictorian at every graduation, and she'd been one of five female FBI recruits. Noemi could overcome almost any hurdle but this one. She couldn't change who she was. She couldn't help her attraction. She couldn't stop her heart from loving Aarna. But the one thing Noemi would never do, she could never do, was hurt her Lola.
Aarna knew that. Aarna accepted it. That was the only reason they had whatever this was. They both knew it had an expiration date. They had Quantico and that was it. Even if Aarna had made Noemi felt more known, more loved, than anyone else ever had. Even if it meant leaving both their hearts in pieces. Even if she loved Aarna with everything she had. Even if it meant leaving soul shattering sex. Noemi took a quick glance around the waiting room. Only a few people remained. Tentatively, softly, she leaned her head against Aarna's. After all, if they only had a few weeks, she might as well enjoy it.
Noemi was just beginning to feel that tired buzzy feeling when the nurse called them, 'Agents? I can see you now.'
Noemi blinked, staring up at the nurse in purple scrubs, her mind struggling to catch up. Aarna on the other hand, popped up from her seat with a chipper smile as though she hadn't left drool marks on Noemi's shoulder mere seconds ago. 'Thanks so much Nurse.' She smiled that charming smile, and as predicted, the nurse made some sort of placating gesture. Aarna was an enchantress. It was the only reason Noemi could figure for why everyone, herself included, tripped over themselves to make her happy.
'Not a problem,' the nurse said with a smile, 'I apologise for taking so long.' She shook her head ruefully and gestured the women to follow her.
'No worries,' Aarna said with a smile, 'we aren't in a hurry and you're doing important work here so thank you.' Aarna beamed and Noemi bit back that tinge of jealousy. Aarna was nice to everyone, she thought angrily to herself, but she only makes you dosas. That cheered Noemi up enough to nod and smile at the nurse. Aarna, seeing it gave Noemi a puzzled look. She'd tell her later. Maybe.
'Pop up here,' the nurse said gesturing for Aarna to sit at the exam table, 'let me see your hand.'
The shift was automatic. Noemi couldn't help it. She went from brooding professional partner to concerned and doting lover. She really was the worst secret keeper. 'She burnt it last night. She was making dinner and….' Noemi trailed off a blush on her cheeks.
'I stupidly forgot which burner was on. I put my hand on it as I went to reach for something,' Aarna covered smoothly. It wasn't the truth but Noemi supposed the nurse didn't need to know that Noemi had her hand in her lovers pants when it happened. The nurse simply nodded and finished putting her gloves on.
The nurse gently unwrapped the gauze and took a look at the blistering skin. She nodded and twisted Aarna's hand to examine the hand at another angle. Aarna smiled over her hunching form at Noemi. It was calm, reassuring, promising she would be okay. The nurse asked, 'did you wrap this?'
Noemi nodded. 'I've taken a number of first aid courses.'
'You did well. I'll give you some burn cream to keep the infection out but otherwise, just change her bandages daily until the skin heals.' She tugged her gloves off and threw them away as she shuffled through the drawers in the room. 'So agents, you said you had a few more questions for me.'
'Right,' Aarna said, for once looking uncomfortable as she held her exposed hand still on her thigh. It almost made Noemi giggle. 'We have reason to believe someone may be threatening Doctor Isles. Nothing concrete but cause for concern. We were wondering if there have been any calls to the clinic. Anything threatening or odd. Anything that stands out?'
The nurse swung back around with a small cream packet, she pulled a fresh pair of gloves on. 'This might sting a bit,' she warned before she began applying the cream. Aarna hissed in pain, her dark skin paling slightly. 'She hasn't had any calls here recently but she's been out of the clinic for almost six weeks on her book tour.'
'What about any other calls or threats?' Noemi asked.
The nurse applied another generous heap of cream to Aarna's hand. 'Nope nothing. Other than from a social worker for a case she worked the night before she left.'
Aarna perked up at that, 'a social worker. For a case. Something possibly violent?'
The nurse began wrapping the hand in fresh gauze. 'Child abuse. I'm afraid I can't give you any further details. HIPPA and all that.'
'What about the name of the social worker who called?' Noemi asked. 'Or is her identity protected too?'
The nurse snapped off her gloves considering. 'Technically, no. She wasn't our patient. She's just another resource the clinic has access to.'
Aarna grinned, 'so this could just be one professional colleague providing a recommendation to another?'
The nurse sighed. 'It's a grey area.'
Noemi glanced at the name badge on the nurses scrubs. 'Alyson, it might be the only way to help Doctor Isles.' She was laying it on thick. Technically, they didn't know that Doctor Isles was even in trouble but Agent Rizzoli thought she was and that was good enough for Noemi. Even if she would never admit that.
Alyson's face shifted. They had her. Her personal concern was outweighing her moral concerns. 'Nia Williams. Now if that's all, I'd really like to eat my lunch.' They stood to leave, Aarna thanking Alyson profusely. Alyson merely shoved gauze and more cream at Noemi, who accepted it gratefully. Alyson walked them back to the clinic door she paused them once more. 'Doctor Isles is a good one. A really good one. The clinic would… the community would…' Alyson swallowed hard and then took a breath, 'what I mean is, she's a good friend. So don't let them get her, okay?'
Aarna and Noemi nodded. Noemi felt a bit dumbfounded. Most of the time, being a recruit for the FBI felt like a game but this was the real deal. They were working a real investigation, with a real life on the line. They were responsible for this knowledge. That thought settled heavy on her shoulders as they exited the clinic. She thought, maybe, Aarna felt it too. She stood a little more sober, a little straighter. A little more like an FBI agent. It was a good look on Aarna. Noemi just hoped she wore it half as well.
