Prompt: Cop/person getting a speeding ticket AU


until tomorrow

.

Family emergency again? Jon asked, and it was a real challenge to wipe the grin off his face. The woman in the car, however, didn't even try to hide her mischievous smile, and her blue eyes looked up at him with such depth that Jon felt his fingers clench into a tight fist.

Her teeth were slightly crooked, and her flaming red hair a wild mess upon her head, probably made worse by the fact that she had her windows rolled down. Jon had noticed all these things yesterday, when he had pulled her over for the first time.

Then, he had let her go with nothing but a warning after she told him about her sick father in the hospital, but even then he had suspected she was probably just playing with him the way her fingers toyed with the unlit cigarette in her hand. What did it matter, though? He wasn't even supposed to be here. Still, after the fire incident in one of the station's interrogation rooms, being put on road patrol duty seemed a lot better than suspension.

He wasn't going to let her go a second time, though.

I'm going to need to see your papers, he said calmly, trying very hard not to notice how pretty her smile was, or how the sunlight reflected off her hair. Something about her reminded her of that short period of time between autumn and winter, when everything was still full of bursting colours, but slowly beginning to turn cold and hard like stone.

You saw them yesterday, pretty lad, she quipped, her grin never fading, and she leaned comfortably back in the driver's seat of her run-down yellow car. Do you think I changed my identity since then? I'm not a spy, you know.

You drive like one. She laughed at that, and Jon bit his cheek. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. At all. She was laughing at him, or with him, or whatever else - he didn't understand how she could be so calm about this, he didn't really understand her at all.

Sorry to disappoint, pretty lad. I don't have them right now. She bit her lip, a small movement anyone else might have ignored, but Jon was transfixed by the sight. It made this dreadful work even harder.

I have a name, he muttered, pointing at the printed white strip on his uniform before fumbling through his jacket for the notebook and pen he had stuffed in there at the station this morning.

I'll just call you Officer Handsome, she declared, propping her elbows up on the open window of her car, chin resting on her balled fists. You going to arrest me now?

He stared at her in disbelief. After that, he should definitely arrest her - truth be told, he should have taken her license yesterday, but he was stupid and wanted to slap himself for giving in. Ygritte, right? Her smile widened when he spoke her name, the unfamiliar sound of it etched into his memory. You're going to lose your license. I'll need to see some ID. Or have you forgotten that, too?

Jon was aware how breathless his words sounded, no matter how hard he tried to maintain his authority. Ygritte only grinned more, as it all of this was the most tremendous fun, and he now saw the way her freckles moved when she scrunched her nose, and how strands of her hair curled loosely around her collarbone, left exposed on one side where her sweater had dropped off her shoulder.

You could just ask me for my number, you know. Jon furrowed his brows, not really believing that this woman was even real. He half expected Pyp and Grenn to jump out from behind the trees that lined this godforsaken road, roaring with laughter. It would be just like them to hire someone like Ygritte to crawl under his skin and irritate him this way, just to make even more fun of the fact that he had set the interrogation room on fire. But something told him that this was not what was happening. That she was as real as anything.

I don't want your number, I want your papers, he insisted, taking a step forward now.

You sure about that? Ygritte's arm was now dangling outside of her car, her fingers drumming softly against the door. Why haven't you handcuffed me yet?

Why were you going so fast? he asked, tired of her games, tired of this job, tired of this road, mad at everyone and everything - except her, for some reason. It drove him crazy, the way he could not look away, or mute her sharp words.

Off the record? she asked, lowering her voice to almost a whisper, and Jon needed to lean in closer to even understand. The movement brought his face much too close to hers, and he could smell something spicy, yet sweet, saw the patterns of her freckles and the exact way her lips curved when she spoke. She continued when he nodded, but grinned at the roll of his eyes. I was hoping you'd pull me over again.

Jon could feel how utterly ridiculous he must look, mouth gaping open and eyes staring blankly at her. She was too close. Way too close. If he leaned in just a bit closer - no. No. She wouldn't trick him a second time. Clearing his throat, Jon took a step back, straightening his back. Your ID?

She groaned in defeat, finally reached over the the empty seat next to her, fumbling through the large bag. You're too grim, she said as she passed him her ID, but Jon ignored her now, an achievement he was quite proud of. Still, without her, the world suddenly seemed unbearably quiet.

Five minutes later, she finally shut up about the speeding ticket he had given her (She should be more grateful, he thought, lucky that she wore him out enough to let her keep her bloody license) and tucked her ID back into her bag.

You can go, Jon said, feeling a unfamiliar twist in his stomach at his own words - a part of him knew exactly why, but he'd never admit it, not even to himself. Just go slower.

Ygritte smiled again, the engine roaring to life. I'll see you tomorrow, she shouted over the noise, and before Jon could say anything, she drove off. For a few moments, he stood there by the side of the road. The dust of the gravel was slowly settling.

Damn it, he mumbled to himself, fingers grasping for the tiny piece of paper in his pocket. The one on which he had hastily scribbled her address and full name. It would only take a minute to find out her phone number once he was back at the station.

He sighed into the deafening silence of the deserted road. He was in so much trouble.