Harlee wakes up to the sound of wind and rain mercilessly whipping the windowpanes. She feels cold despite the warm body next to her. It's wrong and it is not enough. She climbs out of bed, grabs her sweats and heads to the closet. A minute later, wrapped in a blanket, she shuts the door to the bathroom and sits in the dry tub, a sleeping pill and a bottle of wine next to her. She hugs her knees and her eyes flutter closed. She is not afraid to wake up James-he is out, content after a warm evening with her. But she cannot sleep. She keeps seeing the subway, her unsuspecting, dumb hand reaching for Stahl's collar to pull out that horrible pin. Glancing sideways she sees his hands idly toying with it. Then conversation gets heated and the next time she looks he is bleeding. Her lungs gasp for air and her vision clouds. She almost misses his intel. Then he is quick to get up and is turning to go. Suddenly, her impatient hand is encircling his cuff with its fingers. She hesitates for a moment then presses in and... she thanks him, his name inadvertently escaping her lips. Taken aback, he regards her, then says something snarky and leaves. She shivers on the smooth plastic seat...
...And wakes up, in bed, buried in white down and glimmering satin, air heavy with threatening rain. Her unbound hair fans over the pillow. She languidly stretches her arms, turns around and icy wetness assaults her. She shoots up to close the window thinking it's rain. But there are no windows. Instead, a useless curtain shifts and somehow lets in an oval of pale yellow light. A strangled sob rocks her body-the satin is spilling red, blood dripping onto the carpet and inching closer and closer intending to creep up her dress. She watches in horror but cannot move, until...
Harlee wakes up gasping. The weather is quiet and she is still next to James. Shaking, she slides her body next to his and his arms encircle her in a gentle, firm way. As if even in sleep, he understands. She doesn't deserve him...but he is here. Her breathing slows down but pupils soldier on till the morning...