He hasn't seen her in a few weeks and it's been driving him insane. Cooper told her to take time and she's been off with Red as far as he knows. The Post Office has been quiet for a while since the incident with Luther and he's getting caught up on his paperwork but he can't help the itch that only stillness and boredom causes. He forgets sometimes when he gets here in the morning, that she's not coming, that he hasn't seen her since the hangar. It's when he enters his office and sees his chair empty that his gut tightens and he scowls heavily. He's not sure when she became an integral part to his day.
A knock on his office door brings him crashing back to his reality and he turns to see the newest addition to his every day. He wasn't sure about the newest recruit but he couldn't deny her resume. Turning he sends her a raised eyebrow in greeting.
"Agent Ressler! Good morning! The reports you requested are on your desk." Agent Stone; a junior agent, fresh out of Quantico beamed at him. Her blonde hair and extremely white teeth were perfect as always. He was pretty sure that Laura Stone had a thing for him and it annoyed him.
"Thank you." He stated briefly and then turned back to his desk. He shuffled papers trying to stall so that Stone would get the message and leave. He sat down and started going through files, like he always did every morning but the sounds of barely contained shouting met his ears. Standing from his desk he strode quickly out into the main room where he saw Stone; her back to him, arguing with a very tired looking Katherine. Striding over to Malik he doesn't take his eyes off of the scene unfolding before them.
"What's going on?"
"Apparently Stone thought it best to be the guard at the gates." Malik states with humor in her voice. Ressler puts his hands on his hips and listens to the arguing women.
"Your return was not authorized. You can't be down here until Director Cooper clears it."
"It's clear that you're new and that you don't quite understand how things work around here but I don't necessarily have to follow your stuffy protocol. My guess is that Cooper would be happy to let me back in."
"Protocol is what makes the government work Miss Tennor." Stone states as though she was talking to a child. Ressler watches as Katherine's eyebrow rises in disbelief. He knew that look well and as he looked at her he saw how the bruises on her face were still present albeit faded and the way her bottom lip was still healing.
"You can ask Agent Ressler about how I feel about protocol." Katherine shoots back at her and Ressler can't help but feel awkward as Stone turns and locks her brown eyes on him.
"Agent Ressler is busy." Stone throws back and Ressler feels the need to step in.
"Agent Stone; you can let her through; she's cleared to be here." Ressler tries to control the smile that wants to breakthrough when he hears Malik give a small whine in protest of breaking up her morning fun.
"Told you so; now get out of my way before I run you into the ground." Katherine states as she goes to step around the blonde agent. Ressler catches the way Stone stiffens and he has to stop the urge to roll his eyes when he sees her grip Katherine's upper arm.
"You are guest here; I suggest you show respect." He doesn't miss Katherine's response and he openly smiles at her.
"And I suggest that you never touch me again otherwise I can guarantee that they won't have a body to bury." Katherine glares back and once Stone releases her; a sinister smile spreads across her face.
Ressler knows that the display was one that shouldn't have happened; Katherine was in fact a guest but somehow he couldn't find it in himself to care too much when he was just happy to see her.