Disclaimer: Jericho is not mine.

She is starting to think that maybe it is something about her. She can't, for the life of her, figure out what that something may be, but she knows that there has to be something. How else could she explain not once but twice in her life being trapped in a cell with one of the Green brothers waiting to be interrogated. She is (at least reasonably) sure this time that no one is going to be ordered to drive her out of town and shoot her in the head. (She's holding on to that as her bright spot in this situation – her standards for bright spots have been ratcheting the bar lower on pretty much a weekly basis since last September. It doesn't take much above nobody is dying today to make it over the threshold now.)

Eric had been a mostly silent cell partner when she had been buzzing on adrenaline and righteous indignation and could have used some conversation to help get her equilibrium back. In contrast, she would be perfectly happy to lean her head back and wait this one out in silence. Jake, of course, chooses now of all times to be talkative – not in any substantive way. They have already established that Jake just doesn't do that – not with her. He just seems to be rattling for the sake of the noise at this point.

There has been a lot of rambling. She would be concerned about a head injury after the near dissertation on most missed candy options from a standard vending machine selection if she did not know for a fact that he hadn't sustained any recently. She hears things (even when she is trying not to) and Jake's exploits are a pretty hot topic around the town. It's almost folk hero status at this point which explains exactly why he is sitting in this cell as a person of interest waiting to be interviewed after being allowed to stew for a satisfactory period of time. She's not as certain what got her pulled in along with him this time. (She could totally rattle off previous reasons for why she would be questioned, but there is nothing current that should pertain to her. She certainly isn't stupid enough to bring up any of those previous occasions just in case that isn't why she has gotten busted.) She'll just wait here quietly for them to get around to letting her know.

If Jake weren't so determined (apparently) to keep talking, this would actually be an excellent opportunity to take a nap. When was the last time she had one of those? She can't remember. She knows it has been a long time though, and she's kind of exhausted.

Sometimes, exhaustion is a satisfying experience – it accompanies a sense of a task completed well. Other times, Heather reminds herself, exhaustion is just a sign that your body is getting ready to betray you. She lets her shoulders slump a little further into the wall behind her. She can't think of a good reason to keep the facade of being perfectly together up – she might as well make herself as comfortable as she can manage for however long they decide to keep them here. She's kind of over the anticipation making them more compliant or more likely to give something away or whatever it is game that they are playing here. She's been there and done that – there were no t shirts.

"Honestly, I would commit a few things that used to be considered a crime for a beer right about now – even if it was one of those light ones that you claim to have favored."

"Used to be considered a crime?" The words come tumbling out of her before she even thinks about it. That was a mistake – in her experience, any words she is inclined to say around Jake generally are. She doesn't need to encourage him. She needs to keep her focus on the goal – which, right now, is quiet and the possibility of a nap.

"Things are a little fuzzier than they were a year ago."

"And some things are a whole lot clearer." There her mouth goes again. She bites her lip. Clearly, she needs to work on her self-control. This is, sadly, not news to her.

"See, it's philosophical takes like that that I am not ready to deal with without some alcohol in my system."

She doesn't answer, but he goes off again on another tangent. She used to dream about being able to just sit and talk with Jake Green. Why is she getting it now when she is over it (mostly) and just wants to close her eyes and sit in the quiet to wait for this to be over? She has already done a worse version of this – she doesn't need to be kept calm or distracted or whatever misguided attempt he is making here (because that is the only rational explanation she can come up with for why he is acting like this).

"I'm sorry I let you get in that truck." He says as if it is the most casual observation in the world – just tucks it in there as a throw away comment in the midst of all his meaningless commentary.

What? Now? He wants to do this now? They do not talk about this. Seriously, they don't even talk at all for the most part. He's going to go there? And let her? What does he mean let her?

Is he trying to pick a fight with her? He isn't going to get one – not here and hopefully not ever. She is just way too tired for that. She's also way too . . . she doesn't even have a word for it which is sad because she is usually pretty decent with words. Who is she kidding? Words have been failing her since the day she met Jake Green. Why should this occasion be any different?

She just needs to wait it out. She can do that. She can stop listening, get lost inside her head, and hold on to the fact that it has to be over soon. It has to be.

If she manages to get through this without humiliating herself, then she absolutely gets to have the biggest, messiest burger that Mary can manage to serve over at the bar without guilt or second guessing or resource concerns. If she isn't in jail (or a military brig) by that point that is. She still isn't entirely sure why she is here. They have to tell her eventually. Right?

Maybe not – but she isn't thinking about that right now. She doesn't believe the service personnel she has come to know over the weeks working in the office would take those kinds of orders (but if there is one thing that she has learned in the past year, it is that she is not nearly as good of a judge of character as she thought she was).

If she believed in fate (which she does not), what would this be – some cliche trapped together and confess because you are forced to spend time together scenario? Confess what? There is nothing to confess. There is just a lot of discomfiture alongside enough awkward (although the awkward would be greatly minimized if he would just stop talking) to drown them. She draws another deep breath as if the others she has been taking aren't proof enough that deep breaths aren't doing the job here and forces herself to close her eyes.

She can do this. She just has to wait it out.