The next checkup had a bit more drama to it. As soon as he stepped inside her bedroom he could hear her breathing was off. He hurried to her side. She'd turned again and was facing him. Even in the dark, with only the small light coming from the open bathroom door he could tell her cheeks were flustered and when he put his hand to her forehead he could tell she was a bit sticky but not feverish so. He was just about to wake her up when he heard her mumbling. Her breathing had gone back to normal and it dawn on him she could just be having a nightmare. She wasn't necessarily ill. If she'd been sleeping since she went to bed she'd probably reached REM sleep by now and nightmares after what she'd been through last night wouldn't surprise him. He checked her pulse and it was maybe a bit faster than the last time but not darting. She started mumbling again and he tried to hear what she was saying. He didn't understand at first but then, as her breathing picked up again and she seemed to get agitated, he heard "don't" and something that sounded like "leave me alone". He saw her fingers dig into the sheet and then he heard it. Jade. That name again. –Jade. Please. Help me. She cried through muffled sobs.
The detective in him wanted to eavesdrop further but the righteous man in him wanted her to stop hurting and he softly put his palm on her upper arm and whispered her name gently as he stroke her. –You're safe Amanda. You're home in your own bed. He said trying to calm her down. –Well not really in your own bed but you're at least home Amanda. He watched her closely ready for a sudden jerk or a sudden defensive move that could hurt him. She was after all a cop. And a darn good one he had to add. Nothing came though. Her breathing calmed down and then he saw her eyes flutter a bit before they open up and he saw her deep blue ones. –You're okay. It was just a dream. Turn around and go back to sleep. He whispered. She looked up at him but at the same time she didn't seem to actually see him. He helped her turn around, something a mother figure once told him to do to not fall right back into the same nightmare. Once she'd settled on the other side he pulled the cover back up around her. He lingered a while to make sure she went peacefully back to sleep. She seemed to do so easily. He checked her sheet just so it wasn't much more blood spotted than before. He had to rely on the probability it had stopped though cause he didn't want to touch her right now and risk to wake her up.
He took a few steps back and stood by her feet for a while until he was sure she'd gone back to sleep. She was breathing peacefully. Who was this Jade person he wondered. He'd only known girls who were named Jade but could it be a nickname for a male too? Or a last name? He wished it wasn't the middle of the night so he could call Olivia and ask if she'd found something on the case search. He just had to wait and he went back to the couch yet again. This time he left the door open a bit further hoping he would hear her if she was haunted by another nightmare. Sleep eluded him this time around. He tried to recall if they'd ever discussed previous boyfriends and such but nothing. He almost found it strange now that they'd never touched on it. Sure he wasn't much for sharing but he'd learnt it was part of the game. He had to listen to at least his partners share and, often, dwell on odds and ends in their lives. But Amanda never did he now realized. Maybe that's why they got along so well he thought to himself. They had discussed dating and such though cause numerous times when they had been out for a beer after work she'd been picked up by guys. Fin had cop friends asking him for her number and he'd brought it up just to know where she stood. He'd even asked her bluntly if she wasn't interested in the male gender at one point when he'd seen her turn a guy down at the bar for about the tenth time. She'd, without even raising an eyebrow at the question, just told him she wasn't looking at the moment but when she were ready it would most likely be a bloke that got her number. That just told him she was open minded and since his son's boyfriend had just been in a gay bashing incident it warmed his heart to learn this about her.
He recalled a talk they had in his car during a stakeout. She'd told him she found the city guys to be so pushy and often cocky. Back home all she would have to do was flash her badge and they would step off. That the guys down south didn't seem to want strong independent women but up here guys seemed to feed on them. He'd loved that argumentation from her and he'd told her he thought she might be right in that reasoning. It didn't help she was a hot southern blonde he'd included with a wink. She'd never mentioned a past steady boyfriend though. She'd said once she was too busy with sports in high school she'd missed all that with dances and ridiculousness. It was beyond his belief though that she never had suitors. Even if she was an ugly duckling she must have became a swan long before she reached NY. The more he thought about it the more he was sure something must have happen to her somewhere in the past. And that something might be linked to the guy that attacked her tonight. That meant he had to find out who he was so he could make him disappear from her life for good.
He managed to fall asleep less than an hour before he was woken by his phones buzzer again. He tried to rub life into his eyes before he headed into her bedroom. She'd turned and was facing him again. He walked up to her as quietly as a guy his size could. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully and her breathing was normal. Her arm was placed just in front of her body and he went for her wrist. He'd just put his fingers around her wrist and found her veins as she jerked and flew up in her bed. Her sudden awakening spooked him too and he pulled his hands and body back which made him safe from her one wipe off move before she retreated backwards on her bed. –Jesus! She swore once she got awareness of where she was and who he was. –Tell me about it. He said with the first breath he was able to draw. –You're supposed to keep me alive not give me a heart attack. She complained. She moved out of bed, pushed passed him and went into the bathroom. The door slammed shut. He brought his hands up to his head and stroke his clean-cut scalp as he took a few deep breaths. That had surely been a rude awakening for both of them.
Once he collected himself he sat down by the foot of her bed. He heard the toilet flush and then the water start to run. It ran for quite some time before she turned it off. He had to wait a little while longer before she came out. She paused as she saw him sitting on her bed but then kept walking back to her bed. –You okay? He asked as she got to her bed and then climbed into it. –Yeah. She answered and immediately turned her body away from him and wrapped herself in her cover. –Okay. I'm sorry. He said and pulled himself out of there. She was clearly at least breathing so he left her alone. He checked his arm watch. It was past 6:30 am now. They had been home at Amanda's just before midnight and in bed about half an hour after that. He figured it was only good if they both got a few more hours of sleep. He went over to the couch and sat down. He got his legs up but pushed the cover away. He was warm enough without it. The sun was rising from another direction which left the room still somewhat dark. He had the TV on but with no sound. Still MTV. Now some early morning music chart rolling. He yawned and watched the screen for a bit. Then he felt a presence and turned his head.
He spotted her straight away. She was holding on to the door frame. Her long sleeve not covering her bruised knuckles when she did that. Her face said nothing. It was just blank as she met his eyes. –Hi there. He said. –Hi. She answered with a whisper. He still couldn't read her. –Get over here. He said and got his feet off the couch as he pulled the cover away too. She seemed to contemplate his request for a second but then came slipping towards him. Something childlike about her being. Like a little girl sneaking down to have a peek at Santa as he visited Christmas night. She got up in the couch on the other side and he bent slightly forward to throw the cover over her as she sat down with her legs pulled up to her. She almost disappeared under the cover. Had she always been this tiny he asked himself? She avoided meeting his eyes. Her thin bangs giving her a curtain to hide behind. He waited. And then finally he saw her blues nervously peeking up at him through thin blonde strands. –I'm sorry. She whispered. He smiled at her and shook his head. –No need. He said sincerely. –Did I hit you? She asked anxiously. Another shake of his head. –It was close. Some damn fine Karate Kid move you pulled there. He chuckled and got a shy smile as a reward.
She seemed to relax a bit. Her shoulders went down slightly and she seemed to relax her legs cause the cover went down a bit so he could see her better. She was playing with her fingers in her lap to distract herself and keep her eyes away from his. He wanted to ask her about what happen last night but he feared it was too soon and she would run if he did so. She peeked at the TV. –So MTV… she started. –Great for light entertainment. He filled in. –And educational too. He added. She gave him a curious look. –Oh yes I've learnt a lot of slang from music videos, not to mention Jersey Shore and you'll never ever find me sixteen and pregnant. That got him a chuckle from her. She rested her head against the couch. –And what else have you learnt from Jersey Shore? She asked with a tired smile on her face. He took a deep breath. –Well there's a spectacular dance move called the Jersey turnpike for one. And it's never a good idea to ram your head into concrete before a fight. He took some time to think and then continued: -And the phrase 'taking a grenade for a friend' is not only used in the military. Pizzas in Italy are nothing like in the US. And not that I hate Snooki's poof but I still think it belongs in the 60's. I have to add though that Amy Winehouse wore it very nicely. –She was great. Amanda yawned.
He watched her eyes go back to her hands in her lap. –Why won't you report it? He decided to at least give it a try. He briefly saw her blues. –You know him? He said more as a statement then a question. –Drop it Fin. She said quietly. –I can't. You're my partner. It's my job to have your back. It came out sounding too professionally. He wanted her to know he cared beyond it just being a job. –I care about you Amanda. When someone hurts you it hurts me. Again her blues flickered past his. He could tell she was contemplating something. Her forehead got those thinking wrinkles. The room lay quiet for a while. –Tell me one of your undercover stories. She suddenly asked and peeked up at him. She looked down again though once his gaze got to intense. He knew she liked to listen to him tell stories from his previous job at the narcotics division. He had some good ones seeing how he spent a lot of time undercover. A lot of crazy stuff went down. –I'll tell you one if you tell me something afterwards. It was worth a shot he thought. –Deal? He didn't get an answer but hoped her sense of fairness would set it once he was done. He started to tell her about this time when they busted in on a burlesque night club. He'd worked the bar for a few weeks and met some weird customers. She smiled at his admissions and some confessions. He knew quickly though that he wouldn't get anything out of her right there and then. Her eyes were falling shut and he could tell she would be out very soon. He didn't mind though. Rest was good for her.
He talked her to sleep just like he'd done with his son when he was really little. Before the job had taken over completely and he'd become an absent father. She fell into a peaceful sleep right in front of him and he kept his eyes on her as he drifted away in his thoughts. He couldn't get his head around what was going on. When he'd first laid eyes on her he wasn't sure she had it in her. Her petite frame, those blonde locks, gorgeous but naïve blue eyes and that innocent smile of hers hadn't helped with that first impression. But she'd surprised him. She had a solid handshake and she'd looked him square in the eyes. No shifty eyes there. And she'd walked up to him all on her own. No captain towing her around. She'd done her homework before she'd transferred. She knew the players. The captain had teamed them up rather quickly. Fin figured Cragen also let her petite frame fool him and their boss wanted her to be protected out there. Where the wolves would eat you alive if you weren't careful. Especially a petite blonde from the south. But he could tell already on their first case she had skin on her nose. She took a backseat but still wasn't afraid to give him her input or step ahead when asked to. And then she'd slowly started to step forward on her own. Still not stepping on anyones toes, well not his anyway. She had stepped on Olivia's at one point early on but in his eyes rightfully so. Amanda had a hunch on a case, a hunch that had turned out to be right but it had been tricky. Olivia didn't hold grudges though so it wasn't a big deal.
Amanda and Nick butt head from time to time though which Fin actually enjoyed watching he had to admit. They were like a brother and sister fighting. A fight she usually came out winning, possibly cause Nick was too much of a gentleman. Fin figured that may also be the reason why he triggered Amanda. She didn't want special treatment cause of gender, age or anything else. That suited Fin just fine. He tried to treat her like an equal. Surely there were times when they both needed to face the fact, she was powerful with a gun but a 220 lbs man could be a struggle even for him. Add any kind of influence on that and it was a risky situation. Though any situation they walked into had the potential to be risky. Partners needed to have each others backs at all times. He had the right to be worried right? He wasn't overprotecting her was he? No this was different. This was personal to her. He understood boundaries and private affairs but he had been dragged into this weather she liked it or not. He was there. Why wouldn't she accept his help?