Would you still be willing to write for Beca from pitch perfect? If so could you do something where she brings her girlfriend around to a party and the Bella’s are surprised at how affectionate and smitten she is compared to usual.
"Beca, there's someone at the door for you."
The small brunette froze at her desk, hand hovering above her mouse, as the sound of Amy's voice interrupted her train of thought. She had been scrambling to finish and export her mix for the evening, in hopes she would be done in time to intercept you at the door.
"Thanks, I'll be down in a second!"
"Not to worry, we'll entertain your lover."
Amy's response from the other side of the bedroom door made Beca nervous, but she knew there was nothing she could do or say to stop the rest of the Bella's from doing just that. So instead of wasting her breath or her time pleading with Amy to be normal, Beca instead mumbled a mixture of threats and prayer to the aging laptop in front of her.
"Finally," she breathed out, watching as the progress bar finished loading and a checkmark appeared. Despite her desperation to get downstairs and ensure her friends weren't telling you embarrassing stories from her freshman year, Beca stalled in front of her mirror for a few seconds to check her appearance before finally dashing downstairs with her laptop tucked under her arm.
Beca followed the sound of voices and building laughter through the large house until she tracked down the sources in the kitchen. Though you were clearly entertained by whatever conversation was going on, your eyes flashed to her's as soon as she walked through the doorway.
"There's my girl," you smiled, then glanced down at the computer in her arms. "You finished with your set for tonight?"
"Yep, just gotta hook this bad boy up and then I am all yours for the evening."
"Then get to it then."
Beca smirked as you gestured towards the door that led to their backyard.
"Yes ma'am," she saluted you with a slight eye-roll, ignoring the way her fellow Bella's exchanged glances and giggles as she followed your orders and started in the direction you had pointed.
"She looks so happy. Maybe we should all get lesbian lovers," Amy sighed, sipping at her drink and watching as you and Beca disappeared.
just wanted to update you that i have not disappeared again and am currently working on something for Beca from Pitch Perfect, another one for Debbie Eagan, and also something for Van from yellowjackets :)
Hi I love you’re work! could you please write something with JJ or Emily when you’re part of the BAU and whenever you’re on the jet and fly to an case she sees you putting in you’re removable braces and while Morgan likes to joke about it she thinks it’s the most adorable thing. She often sits next to you on the jet simply too hear the clicking sound when you press you’re tongue against the bridge part and she finds it oddly satisfying. She’s seen you take down guys which weigh more than double as much as you so the fact that you wear removable braces is very endearing to her and maybe it makes her fall even deeper in love with you.❤️
"Wow, these seats have never felt so comfortable." You slumped down into the first available seat on the small aircraft and sighed in relief as the ache in your feet relented significantly. It had been a long eight days that had, unfortunately for you, ended in a lot of running and a little bit of a scuffle.
Emily followed suit and dropped down into the seat beside you. The two of you exchanged tired glances, her's lingering just a bit longer than your own, as the rest of the BAU filed onto the plane. Much to your relief, no one took either of the seats across from the two of you.
"Thank God," she murmured as the jet jolted forward and started towards one of the runways.
"Anxious to get home?" you asked.
"What?" Emily blinked at you in brief confusion, then realized she had vocalized her relief at the fact that none of your coworkers had imposed. "Oh, yeah, sorry. I was already zoned out and thinking about the wine at my apartment."
A smooth save, all things considered. You chuckled and bought the lie she had improvised, and Emily relaxed as you turned your attention from her to your bag.
"Snack?" you offered, rifling through the small black pouch until you pulled out a fistful of Slim Jims and trail mix packs. The dark haired woman arched an eyebrow in surprise.
"What, no Sour Patch Kids? You always have those."
"Ugh," you groaned and handed her a pack of trail mix, "-don't bring them up. I'm trying to take better care of my teeth, which means I can't eat candy every day apparently. Speaking of which..."
You finished digging through your bag as you finally located the plastic case you had been searching for. Emily felt a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth as she watched you set about the familiar routine of removing your plastic braces and setting them aside. She bit her lip to hide it and began fiddling with the packaging of the trail mix you had given her, hoping you hadn't caught her staring.
She'd never say it out loud to anyone, but it was something she looked forward to every time she managed to sit next to you on a flight. It was one of the first little glimpses she had gotten of what was behind your workplace persona, and it softened your edges a bit.
"Will you remind me to put that back in before I pass out for the rest of this flight?"
The request pulled Emily from her thoughts and she realized she hadn't even opened the packet in her hands. Luckily for her, you seemed too tired and too focused on opening your Slim Jims to notice.
Merry Christmas!! I’m always so excited when you are able to be active on here :) Thinking of debbie eagan x reader where she tries to seduce reader to get back at cheating husband and ruth but it backfires in feelings. Or they smoke after a long day and end up making out. I’ll take anything honestly lol
A/N: Went with the second option bc I have another request that's a bit similar to the first :) Also this made me want a cig really bad lol
Warnings: Obviously smoking, also just the slightest bit of internalized homophobia bc this is set in the 80's
Smoking was one of your worst habits. You had others that you weren't proud of, sure, but smoking had to be at the top of the list. And ever since you had started working with Sam again, it seemed to only be getting worse.
In hindsight, you had been completely foolish to think that this was going to be a routine job. Despite all of Sam's assurances over the phone, you should have known better than to expect anything other than chaos, rising tensions between co-stars, and budget problems.
Hell, the fact that he was so desperate he called your apartment twice in the middle of the night should have been enough of a red flag to stop you. That and the fact that the first few words out of his mouth were "women's wrestling show".
A frightening lack of money in your checking account and desperation to get away from your abrasive roommate meant you were willing to put on the rose-colored glasses and go anyway. A rundown motel in the San Fernando Valley became your new home, and you suddenly knew more about wrestling than you ever thought you would as a sound technician.
"Fuck me," you mumbled, patting your breast pocket and feeling the carton inside crumble. You had gotten to the gym around 8:30 that morning, but according to the watch on your wrist it was now well past 11. Shows always ran late, and the crowd from that night's taping had dispersed around 45 minutes ago as you gathered up cables and equipment.
Praying that you at least had a couple for the walk back to the hotel, you fished out the package and flicked it open. Phew. Three left, and you had even managed to be responsible enough to put your lighter back in the pack.
Relief seeped through your system as you placed one of them between your lips and lit it, clutching the pack and lighter in one hand so that you could shield the flame from the wind with the other. You were just about to shove the items back in your pocket and set off towards the sidewalk when the hinges on the door behind you squeaked. You turned around just in time to see none other than the show's blonde starlet exiting the building.
"Oh, hi," she said, eyes immediately dropping from your own to the cigarette hanging from your mouth. Before the door had even fully closed behind her, you had extended the carton and lighter in your hand. So much for having a few for the walk home.
"Hi. Great moves tonight."
It was the first official sentence you had said directly to her despite the fact that filming started three weeks ago. That wasn't necessarily unusual, nor was it something you minded. Main cast and sound crew weren't known to mingle on most sets.
"Thank you..."
Her voice trailed off and several seconds passed before you realized she was waiting for you to light the cigarette she had accepted.
"Oh, right, sorry." You shook your head and sprang into action. The blonde leaned forward as you lifted the lighter and flicked it to life again.
"Thanks," she leaned back and took a drag before continuing, "-but I was waiting for you to tell me your name."
You blinked a few times in surprise, feeling more flustered by the second. It was an easy request, but your tongue was slow to respond.
"Y/N," you said, extending your hand. She reached out to shake it, and suddenly it dawned on you that you didn't know her name either. Well, not her real name. Unless her parents were ultra-patriotic and actually named their infant Liberty Belle.
"You'll have to forgive me, but I joined the crew a little late and haven't gotten everyone's names down. You are...?"
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise and you winced, hoping you hadn't just invoked a starlet's wrath. Maybe you should have faked it until the interaction was over and then asked someone else tomorrow.
Then, just as quickly as it appeared, her expression shifted again. Much to your relief, she looked a bit bemused and you thanked the Hollywood gods that you'd live to work another day as she reached out to shake your hand.
"Debbie Eagan," she said, glancing over your shoulder into the parking lot. "You, uh, you want a ride back to the hotel? Sam probably should have warned you about this area at night."
You turned around to follow her gaze and immediately spotted a slouched figure against the stoop of the building across the street.
"Yeah, he probably should have," you agreed. "Or at least offered to let me sit in on some wrestling lessons."
Debbie chuckled a bit and you relished silently in that fact as the two of you made your way over to where her car was parked. It wasn't often you got chauffeured around in a nice vehicle by a beautiful actress, so you figured it was a decent trade off for one of your last cigs.
"Yikes," you noted as she pulled out and the car passed the hooded individual that had prompted the ride offer. "Thanks for driving me."
"Not a problem. Thanks for making us look, er-" Debbie glanced over at you briefly for confirmation, then corrected herself, "-sound good every week. Probably should have thanked you for that already, but you know how us actresses can be."
"Oh, I've worked with worse," you assured her. Now that you were past the apparent threat, you rolled down your window to ash your cigarette outside. As the cool night air rushed into the car, it circled around and carried her perfume over to your side. You tried to ignore how your stomach lurched at the smell and the way the muscles in the arm she was driving with tensed as she turned the wheel.
"Plus," you continued, hoping to distract yourself if you talked enough, "usually the only people offering me rides home are creepy dudes from the crew. So, this is a nice change, you know?"
Another little laugh. You turned fully towards the window, pretending to ash your cigarette again to keep yourself from staring at her. When you did eventually sneak another look, you almost jumped out of your skin when her eyes flickered over briefly from the road.
"Yeah, well, you aren't bad company yourself. So, what do you think of the show? Or are you too busy making sure we don't break any of your equipment to watch?"
"Despite the several heart attacks a night you guys give me over my mics, I do see a good bit. The little old ladies are funny, and I like the wolf girl thing a lot. You and the Russian chick have a good bit going."
Another lightening-quick cycle of emotions crossed her face when you spoke the last sentence, and you sensed immediately that there was some tension between the co-stars. Debbie took one last long drag of her cigarette before tossing the stump out the window.
"Yeah," she sighed, her tone much flatter than before. "Everyone sure seems to think so."
The car turned into the hotel parking lot just as you finished your own cigarette. A mixture of relief and regret that the ride was nearing it's end tangled in your mind, and you briefly wondered if this would be the only time you and the actress would speak for the rest of the job.
"Fuck, there she is."
Debbie's voice pulled you out of your thoughts as the vehicle came to a stop and she killed the engine. You looked up and over towards the pool area, where a few of the women's silhouettes were visible.
"Well," you ventured, "I have one more cigarette if you want to split it and kill some more time."
Debbie's gaze, which had narrowed significantly upon spotting the brunette, softened again as she undid her seatbelt and turned in your direction.
"You don't mind?"
"Nope," you shook your head and handed over the carton and lighter to prove it. Despite the utter disdain that had plagued her features moments before, she smiled at you as she took them. "I've smoked more than my fair share of cigarettes to avoid people. Family members, ex's, former high school classmates. The list goes on, really."
Debbie smirked as she lit up and handed you back your lighter. Between the way she was looking at you, and the feeling of her fingers grazing your palm as she returned the object, your brain was working overtime to figure out the alarm systems from your nervous system. Did her hand linger on yours, or was it just your imagination drawing out a few seconds into something more?
"You know, I'm starting to feel like I really missed out on not getting to know the sound people on my previous sets."
"Hey now, they aren't all as funny as me. Especially since most of them are men."
"Touché," she said, passing over the Marlboro. Her attention stayed on you, which was somewhat of a surprise considering you figured she'd be watching to see if her cast mate had left yet.
"You don't like them, I'm guessing?"
Damn. You hadn't been expecting that particular subject to be broached on what was supposed to be a five minute drive back, but you couldn't exactly blame the other woman for pointing out what you briefly forgot your appearance made obvious.
"I do not," you confirmed, somewhat hesitant in the statement still despite the years you had spent learning to live more comfortably with that fact. For a moment, you felt the need to brace yourself for her to react poorly.
"These days, I'm not entirely sure I like them myself."
Definitely not the reply you were expecting. The energy in the car seemed to shift, almost if the air was charged with static electricity. You shifted in the passenger seat, half expecting her to shock you when she passed the dwindling cigarette back over.
"Guy troubles?"
She shook her head, bit her lip, and looked as if she thought about saying about 10 different things at once.
"I...you could say that, yeah. Do women also typically cheat on their girlfriends with their best friends and whore secretaries?"
"Jeez," you chuckled, but shrugged. "I can't speak for every lesbian on Earth, but I think we have a much better track record generally speaking. Also, fuck your ex. Or, at least I hope he's your ex."
"Yeah, he is. He also wasn't a big fan of me being a wrestler, if you can imagine that."
"See, there's a big difference right there. I'd be over the moon to hear that you booked this show. You look incredible up there."
Even in the dim parking lot lights, you could still see a blush creeping across Debbie's cheeks at the comment.
"Incredible, huh? That's definitely not the feedback I got from him, so thank you for that." Her voice was softer, and despite the fact that you had just made her blush you suddenly felt like you were squirming under her gaze.
A sudden flicker of pain between your index and middle finger made you flinch. The ember of the cigarette, which had finished burning away in your hand, had finally reached the filter. You flicked the butt out the window and swore under your breath in an attempt to soothe the sting.
The feeling of a hand lightly coming to rest on your thigh pulled your attention back to the situation at hand. You turned your head to find Debbie's face inches from yours as she hovered over the center console, bracing herself on your leg.
"I've had a really stupid fucking week," she spoke slowly, her eyes moving between your own and your mouth, "-and you are saying all the right things right now."
Her lips were on your own a second later, soft and slightly sweet from whatever lip balm she was wearing. The frustration from the past few days was evident in the way she kissed, and the way her hand came up from your thigh to your neck, pulling you in closer. You certainly didn't mind, and as pathetic as it made you feel, it took everything in you not to whine when she pulled away eventually.
"Hmm," Debbie hummed thoughtfully, leaning back over to her side of the car. You opened your eyes to see that her face was as flushed as your own felt, and the sound of both of you catching your breath filled the car for several moments.
"What? Do you have notes?" you asked eventually, unable to stand the thought of returning to your room for the night without knowing whether that "hmm" had been good or bad.
"No, sorry, it's just-" she paused, unsure of her words for a moment. "-I guess I'm realizing how bad men are at making out."
can I request Addison Montgomery x f!reader where they almost kiss like 4 times throughout the work day (they’re not together yet) but always get interrupted. Maybe at the end Addison finally kisses reader! Thank you!
Timing was never Addison's specialty. At least, not outside a hospital. All of the razor-sharp skills, instincts, and prowess that served her so well in the OR seemed to disappear entirely when it came to her love life.
With you, that cycle had continued. She had come to Grey-Sloan Memorial to aid the hospital in its attempt to regain its former reputation, figuring a change of scenery and the opportunity to connect with old friends might be refreshing. What she was not expecting was to have the "no workplace romances" rule she had set for herself tested on her first day.
"Dr. L/N is your new ortho attending. She may be nicer than I am, but I expect you to treat her with the same respect and fear that you give me. Is that clear?"
Dr. Bailey's voice cut through the chaos of the bustling hospital hallway, pulling Addison's focus from the chart in her hands. The redhead looked up and over towards the huddle of fidgeting interns she was addressing, then immediately at you.
Not what you're here for, she thought to herself after realizing she was staring. Nevertheless, she indulged for a few seconds more before finally returning her gaze to her chart.
Addison's resolve to avoid the way you had caught her eye didn't last long. Amelia was partially to blame, as you and the neurosurgeon apparently hit it off when collaborating on a trauma patient. As your paths crossed more, Addison found herself dismayed to discover that your personality only added fuel to the fire.
Then came the night Amelia had invited her to the viewing gallery to watch one of your surgeries. Addison had nearly escaped the hospital for the night when the other woman caught her, a hopeful expression on her face.
"Wanna come watch Y/N finish rebuilding some football guy's knee? I'll buy us all dinner afterwards," Amelia said, drawing out the last word in a sing-song tone.
A knot formed in Addison's stomach at the thought of going to dinner with you, but the pleading look on the other woman's face and the fact that she didn't have a good excuse conjured up meant she couldn't say no.
And so, Addison begrudgingly followed the other surgeon into the nearest elevator and into the gallery of the OR you were operating in. As she settled into the chair beside Amelia's, Addison's gaze did the same on you.
"Ugh, that's gonna be a long recovery," Amelia noted, observing the array of hardware you had already fixed to the bone that had been exposed. "I'd hate to have that guy on my fantasy team."
"You don't have a fantasy team."
"Touche," Amelia chuckled, seemingly unaware of how the woman beside her hadn't looked once at the actual incision in the patient's knee. Addison was instead watching the way you were motioning for one of the interns to take over, waving the smaller woman around to your side of the operating table. Her brow furrowed as the distance between your bodies narrowed, and you remained behind the surgeon-in-training to deliver instructions.
"Ooh, nice. If she's letting the intern take over, they're probably about to close up."
"Looks like she might let the intern do more than take over," Addison snorted, unable to suppress the jealousy that was bubbling up as you leaned over the intern's shoulder to get a closer look. Her eyes narrowed, remaining on you and missing the way Amelia whipped her head to stare at her, a smile spreading across her face.
"Is there a reason that might bother you? Besides the questionable ethics of a mentor-mentee relationship?"
"No."
Addison didn't move a muscle to glance in Amelia's direction, but her arms crossed in front of her chest in a weak defense. After a few seconds, she relented.
"Maybe."
"Addie," Amelia swatted her friend's arm and grinned.
"Amelia, don't."
"But don't you think there's a reason that I'm so excited? That perhaps I might be privy to some sensitive information?" Amelia persisted, finally earning herself the redhead's attention.
"What are you talking about?"
"Look-" Amelia put her hands up in mock surrender, "-all I can say is, I don't think you have to worry about Y/N going after any interns. Sources say she's got eyes for someone else."
And that's when Addison really started overthinking things. Knowing the attraction was mutual should have been all the encouragement she needed, and Amelia certainly wasn't a subtle wing-woman. But still, Addison hadn't been able to bring herself to make a move that night and of course after that, opportunities were few and far between.
---------------------------------
Grey-Sloan Memorial, though usually a busy hospital, was absolutely abuzz when Addison arrived that morning. She tried her best to ignore the chatter as she got updates from the departing overnight staff and prepared for rounds, but your name pricked up her ears more than once. Unable to go any longer without satisfying her curiosity, she turned to the closest available intern and tapped their shoulder.
"What's so important that you aren't discussing the questions you all missed on this morning's rounds?"
"Oh, Dr. Montgomery-" the startled intern shifted nervously under her gaze, glancing over at his peers for help, "-we were just discussing Dr. L/N's surgery later. She's undoing one of those botched overseas leg-lengthening situations and we're all hoping to watch."
"Well then I suggest you all get a move on and stop crowding up the hallway if you want to done in time," Addison responded. The three young adults scattered, charts tucked under their arms, leaving her to begin her journey to track you down.
Addison checked the ortho wing and surgeons lounge before she eventually found staring at x-rays in one of the imaging rooms. She hesitated outside the door, uncertain of whether or not she wanted to break your focus just to wish you good luck. She managed to talk herself half-way out of it by the time you glanced over at her as if you had felt her gaze. The redhead forced a quick smile and let herself into the room as if she had already been on her way in.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to drop by and say good luck later. Your surgery is the talk of the town with my interns."
"Great," you sighed, hands dropping from where they had rested on your hips, "I don't suppose I could pay you to lock everyone out of the gallery later, could I?"
Addison's eyes widened as she realized you were nervous, a state she hadn't yet seen you in before. Though you were by no means as cocky as some of your predecessors, you had a collected confidence about you that Addison had assumed was second-nature by now.
"Don't tell me you're anxious about an audience. Surely you've had a crowd before?"
"It's been a while," you admitted, somewhat sheepish. "My last hospital didn't get a lot of big cases, and most of the OR's didn't even have a viewing gallery."
"But you don't mind when Amelia and I sit in."
Addison stepped further into the room to stand beside you in front of the x-rays lit upon the wall. She studied the mess of metal that you were planning to remove, selfishly wishing she had the afternoon free so that she could join the interns in watching you go about the feat.
"That's different. Much different," you scoffed. "I'd feel better if you were there."
You went back to studying the black and white images, but Addison could only focus on the last statement you had made. Suddenly very aware of the fact that you two were alone, the redhead let another somewhat selfish thought cross her mind. Her hand twitched at her side, just about to reach out and touch yours when the sound of the door opening made her stop short.
And before she knew it, one of the interns on your service had come to whisk you away for some reason Addison hadn't even heard over the sound of her pulse thudding in her ears. Swearing under her breath, the redhead once again cursed her lack of timing as she set about what was sure to be a very long day.
----------------------------
Despite the fact that her day was in fact long, Addison nevertheless found herself amidst the crowd of surgeons that had descended on the bar across the street from the hospital. Word traveled quickly through the hospital, and she doubted you had even finished updating your patient's family by the time she overheard a pair of nurses mentioning that your surgery had been a success. Amelia was stuck in surgery still, so Addison was forced to attend the impromptu celebration alone.
Your interns, to your credit, seemed to adore you and by the time that Addison walked into the bar they had you surrounded. She watched as you shook your head at them insistently, a smile betraying your efforts to deny the tray of shots that had been delivered to the table. Apparently not immune to peer-pressure, it didn't take long for them to convince you to participate.
Addison almost didn't hear the bartender repeatedly asking if she wanted a drink, too enamored by the way you arched your head back to take the shot.
"Sorry," she apologized, snapping out of her trance and taking a seat at the bar once the younger man finally managed to catch her attention. "Just a Merlot is fine, thank you."
Addison sipped her wine and scrolled on her phone, telling herself in five minute intervals that she would get up and make her way over to the corner of the bar your interns had claimed for the night. She was halfway through her second glass when she saw a blur of movement to her right and felt someone settle into the barstool beside her own.
"I thought you'd be too classy for a place like this."
You smiled, tilting your head at the redhead and then glancing around at the bar as if to emphasize your point. It was clear that you were now devoid of all the nerves that had plagued you that morning, and also maybe a little drunk.
"I'll admit, it's not my usual scene. But I wanted to drop by and congratulate you before I head home for the night. My interns are very loud talkers and from what I heard, you did a gorgeous job."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were keeping tabs on me today. Not that I mind."
A laugh caught in Addison's throat at the light accusation, and she moved to pick up her wine glass to avoid fumbling over her words. She could only drink for so long, however. As the stem of the glass touched back down on the bar, she felt herself starting to blush over her apparent speechlessness.
"Would you mind," you spoke again, leaning closer, "-if I kissed you while my interns are distracted?"
Addison nodded, relief flooding her system as you mercifully let her stop floundering and closed the remaining distance between the two of you.
got really high last night and ended up watching a lot of Debbie x Ruth edits and that sent me down a rabbit hole of reading my old Debbie Eagan imagines and all I can say is…what a woman
Would love either a JJ x reader or Emily x reader with a one bed trope on a case! Or literally anything you write for anyone because you’re so talented
Fuck.
That's all you could think as you stared at the lone queen-sized bed before you. You hadn't been able to bring yourself to look at Emily yet, who was standing beside you in doorway of the motel room. All you could think about now was the woman the team had checked in with at the front desk, and the way she had shuffled over to flip the switch on the antique vacancy sign that had hung in the window.
The act had seemed insignificant at the time and the only reason you had even noticed it was because it was prolonging the sweet relief of a shower after a long first day of a new case. Now it was the most important event of the evening, because it meant that you and Emily were stuck with this predicament.
"Well, I guess we can't expect much from a place that looks like Bate's Motel," Emily said at last, breaking a silence that was becoming more loaded by the second. You inhaled sharply through your nose as her voice pulled you out of your racing thoughts, then laughed in a way that immediately made you wince.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we got the last rooms too. Either that, or the frost desk lady didn't feel like working any more tonight and figured turning the sign off would do the trick."
Emily chuckled, a genuine one to your relief, and stepped into the room. You followed the brunette's lead as she slung the duffel bag off of her shoulder and dropped it next to the bed.
"I don't mind if you don't," she said, arching an eyebrow.
Mind? Of course you didn't mind. As much as you had tried to deny it at first, Emily was absolutely magnetic and on your mind almost any time you weren't focused on building a profile or tracking down a target.
"I don't mind, no," you replied, making sure your tone didn't give away how your pulse was still racing a bit.
Despite the urge to wash the stress of the day off of you, you allowed her to shower first and did your best to distract yourself by thinking about the details of the case as you unpacked your go-bag. To your credit, no one could accuse you of being distracted by the feelings you were developing for your coworker; if anything, you were more productive as a means to distract yourself.
You continued bouncing ideas around as you went about your own nighttime routine after Emily had finished, and had actually come up with a few things by the time you exited the bathroom. The brunette looked up from her phone, already settled in on what she had decided would be her side of the mattress, as you emerged and made a bee-line for the notepad in your bag.
"Don't tell me you cracked the case in the shower," she quipped.
"Don't flatter me," you said, flipping to a blank page and scribbling a few lines of chicken-scratch. "Just a potential pattern, and I don't trust myself to remember til morning."
"You're in better shape than me then. I'm so tired, I don't even remember what I thought about in the shower."
"Alright, alright," you relented, tossing your notebook back into your bag alongside the pen. "I'm coming to bed."
A wave of heat flushed your face as you turned around to see Emily folding back the covers, and you quickened your pace to hit the light switch before she could see the blush that no doubt accompanied it.
You wondered if you would get any sleep at all as you slipped into bed and caught a whiff of her perfume.
"Goodnight, Y/N," Emily said, sheets rustling as she turned over onto her side.
You're a servant that tends to Rhaenys and she becomes captivated with you after seeing you interacting with Meleys while bringing the dragon a treat? Thanks in advance!
"Just a few steps more," you panted to yourself, legs trembling slightly from the weight of the carcass on your shoulders. Gravel from the masonry that had started to wear over the decades crunched beneath your sandals as you trudged forward, ignoring the way your muscles strained in protest until you reached your destination.
With a final grunt of effort, you heaved the dead goat forward onto the pile of charred skulls and bones that marked Meleys's territory. As the animal's body clattered to the floor, you straightened up and peered into the darkness before you.
Almost instantly, a low but impressively loud growl rumbled through the underground chamber. As the sound of claws and scales scraping stone followed, you stepped backwards on a familiar path to the nearest wall and reached for the torch that had been left by the previous Dragon Keeper. Just as soon as your fingertips grazed the wooden handle, Meleys stepped into view to inspect her meal.
The next few minutes passed quickly, as you watched the massive creature engulf your offering in flames, then tear the burning flesh from its bones. Your face was still warm from the burst of dragon's breath by the time she finished, unaware that someone else had been watching along with you.
"You stay longer than the others, you know."
The sound of Rhaenys's voice made you jump so badly you almost dropped the torch you had grabbed to light your way out of the Dragon Pit. It was late, the last feeding of the night for the great beasts, and you had assumed you were the last to leave the massive structure.
"Princess Rhaenys," you said, turning around and lifting the flames higher to illuminate her, "-I didn't expect you here at such an hour."
The Targaryen women let out a dry chuckle and glanced at your surroundings.
"I suppose even with the filth and the smell, I still prefer it over the Red Keep and its company these days," she remarked, no doubt referring to the hub of activity that had overtaken the castle since the King's condition had started to deteriorate.
You nodded sympathetically, aware of the fact that the quiet rumblings regarding succession no doubt struck a nerve with "The Queen Who Never Was".
"The castle is certainly...tense at the moment," you agreed.
"So, is that why you linger? Or do you like to watch her eat?"
Rhaenys returned to her original question, the one you had been too startled by to answer. Your pulse quickened as she tilted her head slightly, awaiting a reply that suddenly seemed quite hard to come up with.
"I do like to watch her," you confirmed, then continued when the curious smile on her face started to spread. "You know, to those of us not raised around them, dragons really are quite impressive."
The silvered-haired woman's head arched back with a laugh, the sound echoing loudly in the huge stone room. Recovering from her laughter, Rhaenys waved you towards her and the two of you began your ascent out of the Dragon Pit.
"You have a fair point, though it seems your peers let their fear outweigh their awe."
I've been on a bit of a JJ kick SO. JJ being the first member of the team to notice you haven't been sleeping well after you were seriously injured during a case? Please and thank you 🙂↕️🙏
Everyone at the BAU had a case like this eventually. One that broke through the intense discipline and confidence it took to become an FBI agent and made them seriously reconsider their career. Something more than just another close call, another story to tell over drinks after the adrenaline wore off.
Everyone handles those cases differently. Some request a transfer and never show up at their desks again. Others learn to cope with alcohol, nicotine, or some other vice that they do their best to hide the evidence of. Those with families tend to use a little more of their PTO, ensuring they make it to a few extra soccer tournaments or dance recitals.
That's why JJ told herself she was so worked up about your return to the office; just apprehension and curiosity regarding how you would handle what had happened. It helped that the rest of the team was openly discussing it as well over the past few days, pondering over what, if anything would be different about your behavior. Though she made sure she was never the one to bring the topic up, JJ couldn't help but to abandon whatever task was at hand each time she overheard your name mentioned in conversation.
After all, JJ told herself on the elevator ride up to the bullpen, it would be callous of her not to be concerned about a coworker after an incident like that. An incident she didn't even know all of the details of, which she insisted to herself was also a factor in why she hadn't been able to get through a single morning in the past four weeks without you crossing her mind.
"-a month's not that long to heal, you know? Hotch will keep her on desk duty for at least another few weeks," Emily was in the process of saying as JJ dropped her bag onto a nearby desk.
"I don't think she'll like that," Derek chuckled as he lifted a fresh cup of coffee, flashing his eyes to JJ as he prepared to take a sip. "Something tells me she'll be chomping at the bit."
"That might be you projecting," Emily said, also turning her attention to JJ's arrival. "Good morning, care to weigh in?"
"Morning," the blonde mustered a smile, determined not to let the conflicted emotions swirling through her show, "I think we'll just have to wait and see."
"Wait and see what?"
JJ froze for a moment, while Emily and Derek reacted immediately to your voice, their bodies almost in sync as they turned towards the entrance to Hotch's office. Thankfully, you didn't seem to be waiting for answer to the question, as the rest of your coworkers had quickly surrounded you to welcome you back.
It gave JJ a chance to hang back and study your appearance as she waited for her turn to greet you. Truth be told, she hadn't really known what to expect. Reid and Emily had been the ones to find you that night, and the emergency lights from the ambulance you had been carted off into hadn't done much to illuminate the scene.
It was better than she expected, all things considered. You seemed to be moving well despite a slight limp, though JJ couldn't help but notice that is worsened slightly throughout the day. The bruises on your face had begun fading, hidden slightly by concealer but still apparent underneath the makeup. Your bottom lip had been split, but the swelling had gone down and all that remained was a jagged red line that was already starting to close along the edges.
"Welcome back," JJ said, her tone warm, but professional and as carefully rehearsed as the quick one-armed hug that accompanied it. "Glad you're back on your feet."
"Thanks, me too," you replied, but JJ hardly heard it over the sound of her heart thudding in her ears. The embrace had been quick, small, and almost identical to the way her coworkers had greeted you, but all JJ could focus on was the way your hand had felt on the small of her back for a second.
The rest of the morning was a blur for JJ, interrupted only by the occasional fleeting moment of focus during their morning recaps or a direct conversation with one of her teammates. Though the details were murky, she knew there was an escalating situation regarding an off-grid homestead turned cult somewhere in the Midwest. Hotch was still waiting on the official call, but it wasn't hard to guess that it would come soon.
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"Looks like I was right."
JJ jumped, nearly losing her grip on the pen she had been fiddling with, as Derek popped out from behind her to lean against the corner of her desk.
"About what?" JJ's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, though she still managed to look amused despite being startled. Derek crossed his arms, clearly satisfied with himself, and nodded towards the open door to the briefing room where you were sat with Hotch.
"Y/N's over there pleading her case to Hotch about joining us in Nebraska. I knew I should have asked Prentiss to put some money on it."
"I guess you'll have to settle for bragging rights," JJ said, forcing herself to chuckle despite her mouth suddenly feeling dry. "You think that's a good idea though?"
"Sure," he shrugged, "I don't see why not. If I know Hotch, I imagine he won't say yes without some pretty explicit rules and restrictions. If she's ready to get back to work, why stop her from helping, you know?"
Although she know he didn't intend it to be, JJ found Derek's answer slightly comforting. He was right; Hotch wouldn't let you come along without laying some ground rules barring anything dangerous.
"Besides, it'll be nice to have another set of eyes on this one," Derek continued, prompting JJ to finally look away from you and back at him. "Don't tell me you think she can't handle it."
"I didn't say that," JJ corrected him quickly. She had been putting on one of the performances of her life trying to appear neutral regarding you since you joined the team, and wasn't about to mess that up now. "I guess I just don't know as much about her yet. If it were you, or Prentiss, or Reid, I'd have more confidence in a prediction."
"Fair enough," Derek relented easily, unaware of how seriously his coworker was taking their conversation. "I guess we'll see tomorrow. You finishing up?"
"Yep," JJ nodded, ignoring the pang of disappointment in her stomach when she realized he was about to offer to walk out together. She was hoping to at least catch one last good look at you on the way out, ideally with some eye contact. She hadn't been able to work up the nerve to approach you since joining in the morning welcome brigade, and regret would haunt her all evening if she didn't at least get an idea of how you were before she left.
Much to her disappointment, Derek did exactly as she expected, waiting patiently for her to pack the thick stack of paperwork that would serve as her main distraction from you for the evening. By the time she had finished, Spencer had also wandered over, bag already in hand and clearly intent on joining them for the elevator ride down.
As the two men sparked up a conversation, JJ took the opportunity to glance back over her shoulder towards the briefing room. She watched just as you rose from your chair to shake Hotch's hand, clearly pleased with the result of the conversation that had taken place. Before she could react, you turned to leave and your eyes locked almost immediately.
JJ wasn't sure who looked away first, but before either of you did she swore she saw something flash across your face that made her stomach flip.
It was the same expression that you had given her on your first week. When both of you rushed around a corner from opposite directions and were suddenly face-to-face. It was fleeting, quickly followed by an embarrassed smile and an apology for being so hasty. And for someone who was usually so good with descriptive writing (thank you, years of writing case notes), JJ couldn't manage to find the right combination of words to describe it.
"JJ, you ready or what?"
Derek's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and JJ realized she was now staring at an empty briefing room. You and Hotch had since departed, and she had apparently donned her coat and slung her bag over her shoulder while on autopilot.
"Sorry, yeah," she said, shaking her head and feigning a yawn. "Sorry guys, it's been a long day."
----------------------------------------------
Holy shit, you thought to yourself as the words on the paper in front of you continued to blur. I need more caffeine.
That statement had become your internal mantra lately, and you had the gas station receipts for energy drinks and shitty coffee to prove it. Your stomach lining certainly didn't appreciate the new vice, but it was a necessity if you wanted to keep up appearances in front of the rest of the team.
"I'll be right back," you announced to no one in particular, your chair squeaking loudly as you pushed it back and braced yourself to stand. Prentiss, Spencer, and Derek all had their noses practically shoved in a handful of the many, many files the small town's police station had accumulated over the years regarding the leader of the "spiritual group" you were now investigating for potential trafficking.
Thankful that they were all focused, you pulled yourself up with only a slight grimace of pain visible on your face, and made your way out the door and down the hall of the police station. While the corridor had been bustling when the team arrived that afternoon, it was now almost midnight and you crossed paths with only a handful of deputies on your way to the lonesome vending machine at the back of the building.
Grateful for the moment of solitude, you let your shoulders collapse as you fished in your pocket for a few bills. It had been a long 48-hours, and you were starting to second-guess your decision to ask Hotchner to allow you to accompany the rest of the team out to Nebraska. Sleep had been a rare occurrence over the last few weeks, and as much as you hated to admit it, it was a lot harder to ignore that when you were scouring hundreds of pages of information for a lead instead of laying on your couch.
Settling on a sugar-free Monster, you fed the machine a couple of dollars and punched the corresponding numbers into the keypad. The sound of the motor inside whirring to life was just loud enough to cover the sound of the bathroom door behind you unlocking.
"Hey."
You flinched at the sudden voice, then jumped again at the sound of your drink thudding into the bottom of the machine. Heart now hammering in your chest, you whirled around to see JJ staring at you apologetically.
"Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you."
"No, it's my bad. Got a little too lost in my beverage deliberations and spaced out, I guess," you responded quickly, hoping JJ hadn't picked up on just how shot your nerves were. Much to your relief, the blonde let out a small chuckle.
"So, what's the verdict?"
"Had to go with a classic," you said, turning back around to retrieve the can that had been dispensed. The cold aluminum in your hand was a welcome sensation, and you hoped it would be enough to combat the way your face always seemed to warm on the rare occassion you found yourself alone with her.
"You want one?" you offered, gesturing to the machine behind you.
"I'll pass. Also, I think Hotch is about to call it quits for the night, so you might want to hold off too," JJ warned, blue eyes darting from your face to the clock on a nearby wall. "Wouldn't want you up all night."
"Good call."
You forced a smile as your gaze followed her own. According to the vintage analogue bolted to your right, it was just past midnight. That meant you were about to have six and a half hours on your hands, none of which would be restful.
Technically, you ended up with only five hours and 39 minutes to kill by the time the team had finished up and made the trip to the small hotel. You killed 12 more minutes getting checked in, another three on the elevator ride up to the third floor, and six more by changing into the sweats you had packed the previous night in your go-bag.
But eventually, you were sat at the edge of the hotel bed with your hands clasped in your lap, dreading the thought of laying down and closing your eyes despite the weight in your eyelids. Though you knew you'd be asleep in no time at all, the thought of the dreams that would inevitably wake you up within an hour or so made you shrink back from the temptation to crawl under the sheets and give into your exhaustion.
They weren't even really dreams to be honest, they were just flashbacks of that night in West Virginia. It seemed like only seconds after closing your eyes that your subconscious began regurgitating moments and details you hadn't even been able to recall clearly for the incident report Hotch had interviewed you for.
The sound of the rain pouring down, loud and relentless. The way you had slipped walking into the dark tree-line, uselessly telling yourself to mind your footing.
A sudden force from behind that sent you sprawling into the mud.
The way the handle of your gun scraped against your palm as you lost your grip on it. How your pulse hammered in your ears, mixing with the sound of the downpour around you. A desperate scramble in the muck to find a hopelessly lost weapon.
You shook your head, snapping yourself out of the replay of last night's revelations and trying to ignore the phantom smell of mud and leaves that accompanied it. A desperate idea crossed your mind as you remembered the gym you had passed on your way to the elevator downstairs, and you rose from the mattress before even bothering to give it a second thought. Maybe if you could exhaust your body enough, it would be enough to shut your mind off too for a couple of hours.
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It was your fault really, that JJ found herself preparing for a 2am trip down to the hotel lobby. If you hadn't distracted her both at the police station and on the way over to the hotel, she wouldn't have forgotten to grab a few water bottles from the vending machine by the elevators.
At least, that's what she told herself as she slipped on her shoes and snagged her wallet off of the cheap bedside table she had tossed it on earlier. If she were being totally objective in that moment, she would have also admitted her intolerance to tap water was a significant factor in the situation, but it was late and she was too annoyed to be honest.
JJ mulled over the fact that she had let the small run-in with you at the police station take precedent in her mind for far longer than such a short conversation should have on the elevator ride down to the first floor. As much as she had hoped it would, your return to the team hadn't exactly done much to quell the way her thoughts constantly wandered to you.
Still deep in thought and half-awake, JJ almost passed by the hotel's fitness center without noticing the lone figure using one of the several ellipticals inside. Ever aware of her surroundings however, her FBI training kicked in enough to spot the movement.
A breath hitched in JJ's throat as she realized she recognized the silhouette as your own. She frowned, half-confused and half-concerned about what exactly you were doing. Despite the always present urge to avoid you, and by extension her fixation on you, JJ didn't hesitate long before entering the gym.
"Y/N?" she called, mindful of her volume as she remembered the way you had jumped at the police station. She winced when your head whipped in her direction, clearly startled anyway. "Sorry."
"Jesus Jareau, that's the second time today. You trying to welcome me back with a heart attack?" you panted out, coming to a stop on the machine as she approached.
"No, but between all the caffeine and the late night cardio, you might be on your way to one all on your own," she pointed out, ignoring the feeling that she might be overstepping. All her avoidance of you had apparently come with some consequences.
You studied her for a few moments, trying to decipher the motive behind her observation. Was it gentle prodding from a concerned coworker, or the questions of a skeptical agent who hadn't exactly warmed up to you yet?
"Look," you started out carefully, "I just haven't been sleeping very well since...the hospital and everything. Jet lag wasn't helping, so I'm just trying to burn off some energy."
JJ nodded along as you spoke, but the look on her face didn't seem fully convinced. There was a beat of silence, which was apparently just enough pressure to make you hop off the elliptical and prepare to make a break for the exit.
"I was just about to head up and shower anyways-"
JJ's hand landed on your wrist as you moved to step around her, and your voice faltered immediately.
"Y/N, relax. I get it," she said, her tone softening in way that made something in your stomach flutter. "I've been there, more times than I like to think about honestly. Can I help?"
The offer and the sudden moment of vulnerability between the two of you were almost equally startling. You blinked a few times, hoping she couldn't see the gears turning furiously in your head as you struggled to formulate a response.
"I, well," you stammered for a second, all of the sudden very aware of how her fingers felt around your wrist, "-I'm sure you could if I knew what I needed."
It wasn't what you wanted to say, not by a long shot, and for some reason it looked like JJ knew that.
"Well," she said, squeezing your wrist once before letting it fall from her grasp, "-I'm here for you if you figure it out."
Would you be willing to write something for Alicent Hightower x reader? Maybe reader thought they were finally going to have a chance together after Viserys dies but then she finds out about Alicent and Cole. Somehow they get together in the end if possible. Thank You!
Even in your youth, you had never been foolish enough to think that you were Alicent's first choice. Though most in the Red Keep were oblivious, you had picked up on the tension between her and the princess she was now at odds with when they were still close. And yet, there had been many a late night that you and the redhead shared as one of her closest handmaidens and at times, that same tension eventually rose between the two of you.
It was Alicent that eventually suggested "kissing practice" after one two many stolen cups of wine when her father was away attending one of his many duties as Hand of the King. And while you both agreed again the next morning that that was all it was, it didn't stop it from happening again every few weeks.
You had always known Alicent would be married off eventually to whatever nobleman her father deemed most likely to advance his own prospects and fortune. Unfortunately for you, that solemn knowledge didn't stop you from daydreaming of a life with her far from King's Landing, her father, and the Targaryens. Alicent didn't exactly do much to dissuade your blossoming feelings, as she appeared in your quarters more and more each fortnight.
Sometimes she came just to sleep at your side. Other times, the two of you continued your "practice", though calling it that did little to dissuade your crush. This blissful period continued for the better part of a year, until the death of the Queen caused it all to fall apart.
Alicent came to your quarters the night she learned of her father's true intentions behind sending her to comfort the mourning King Viserys, and swore you to secrecy before whispering what was to become her fate. A mixture of terror, disgust, rage, and heartbreak almost caused you to vomit as your stomach twitched from the onslaught of emotion. The thoughts about the King and Otto Hightower that filled your mind in those moments would have had your head displayed outside the Red Keep's walls before the sun rose, had you uttered a single one of them loud enough for the Hand to hear.
You almost asked her to run, until reality forced your mind to reject the desparate hope that you could change anything. Alicent's hands on your own eventually pulled you out of your spiraling thoughts and forced you to look at her.
"I've asked my father to ensure you remain one of my handmaidens...I don't think I can do this without someone I truly trust by my side. I love my father, but he has his own...priorities."
"Of course," you nodded in acceptance as your eyes stung with tears. As much as you couldn't bear the thought of watching her be married to a man her own father's age, the idea of leaving her to go through it alone was worse.
As the years went on, you and Alicent both grew up and learned to live the roles that had been assigned to you. You stood by as she married the King, and watched with gritted teeth each time she went through the agonizing process of birthing his three children. Motherhood and her duties as Queen created even more distance between the two of you.
You began trying your best to stir the feelings you had felt in your youth for Alicent elsewhere, as King's Landing had no shortage of establishments willing to turn a blind-eye to sins against the Seven. You found yourself charmed by many a different woman, but never to the burning extent that you loved Alicent. The morning after one of your encounters on the Street of Silk, your heart always felt heavy.
You wondered if Alicent ever felt the same way. If she ever thought about you and then had to stuff the memories away before they stung too much. These questions crossed your mind more often than you'd like to admit, especially when you'd accompany Alicent down to the sept to pray.
Despite the heaviness that remained in your heart, there was also an incident that ensured you repeated the cycle every few fortnights. On one of those mornings that your chest ached from the previous night's activities, you had failed to completely mask the marks left on your collarbone from your lover's mouth. You hadn't noticed and might not have until returning to your chambers at the end of the day, had it not been for Alicent.
You had nearly finished helping her dress and prepare for bed before she took you by surprise and acknowledged the bruises.
"You've taken a lover?"
Your wide eyes met hers and you nearly dropped the hairbrush you had been about to put away. Alicent's tone was as cool and measured as always, but her gaze was practically burning. Although it was far too late, you tugged the top of your dress upwards in an attempt to hide the incriminating evidence.
"Not formerly, I suppose."
She scoffed, shaking her head slightly at the response you had offered. Years of repressed heartbreak suddenly threatened to release itself between the two of you, and you steadied yourself with the reminder that two guards were posted just outside the door to her chambers. As much as you wanted to shout at her for even having the nerve to ask such a thing, considering the fact that the two of you hadn't spoken more than simple pleasantries to one another in years, you bit your tongue.
"Someone I know?" she prodded, studying you for a reaction. You hoped the orange glow from the candles that lit the room would hide the flush in your cheeks.
"I should certainly hope not. What would the people of King's Landing think of their Queen if she kept that sort of company?"
Alicent's expression shifted quickly from confusion to disgust once she realized what you meant, and you almost regretted your response. As painful as things were, you couldn't blame her for her position knowing she didn't seek it out under her own volition.
"I apologize, my Queen. It's getting late and I've said more than I should have."
"I hate when you call me that," she said quietly, her shoulders dropping. "I...I wish I was still Alicent. Especially with you."
"I'm sorry," you apologized again, your own tone softening as well. "I suppose I still can when we're alone. For old time's sake."
Your first love looked down at her feet and smiled in a way that made you feel like a teenager again. The stubborn feelings for her that had refused to disappear completely over the years continued to fight their way up from wherever you had managed to banish them to, and you bit your cheek in a desparate attempt to ground yourself.
Had you not been so focused on your internal battle to leave the past behind, you would have noticed Alicent losing the same fight. Years of repressing her own desires had made her weak, and the knowledge that Viserys was far from the Red Keep on royal business helped to enbolden her, along with the wine she had been sipping to pass the evening. The redhead closed the distance between you swiftly and pressed her lips against yours.
Instinctively, your hands came up to hold her waist the way you had longed to almost every day since she told you she was to marry the King. You suddenly faltered, aware that if you were to be caught, both you and Alicent would surely be executed once King Viserys returned.
"We musn't, Alicent," you whispered, pulling away from her kiss despite how desperate you were for it. "There are too many spies in this city."
The second statement was enough to snap her back into reality, as her eyes opened and immediately shot towards the door to her chambers. She nodded, avoiding you entirely as she cast her gaze to the floor and turned away.
"You're right." Her voice cracked slightly, and she swallowed in an attempt to clear the lump forming in her throat. "I suppose...I suppose I let myself forget our circumstances for a moment."
You opened your mouth to respond, but faltered when you couldn't find the words. Your heart was still hammering in your chest and you could still feel the texture of her gown and the way her hips felt under the fabric. Regret creeped into your mind over how quickly you had pulled away from her.
"I.." you managed eventually, "I'm sorry. It's late, I should let you rest."
It was a sorry excuse, but you needed to break the silence and it was the best you could manage. Alicent had gone to stand by one of the large windows overlooking the city, and you saw her head nod slightly to acknowledge the thinly veiled plea to leave her chambers.
"Goodnight, Alicent," you murmured on your way out, knowing that in the morning you'd have to call her by her royal title again.
Over the next few years, Alicent never confronted you again about your occasional visits to the Street of Silk. But despite an increase in your efforts to be discrete, you still caught her staring at the traces of evidence almost every time one slipped above the hem of your dresses. A small part of you hoped it reminded her of the night she had kissed you, though you struggled to admit that to yourself.
Everything changed when the King died. Despite your proximity to Alicent, the ugly power struggle that had ensued caught you by surprise, and the increased threat to her and her children meant even more guards and chaos within the Red Keep. You found yourself alone more often, as she fretted over her war-hungry sons and attended lengthy Small Council meetings.
It was shortly before one of those meetings that you discovered Sir Criston Cole sneaking out of her chambers, his face flushed and hair uncharacteristically ruffled. You instinctively took a step back around the curve of the corridor after spotting him, watching as he smoothed his hair back into place and adjusted his armor. A satisfied smirk was seemingly frozen onto his face, as his expression didn't once as he disappeared down the spiraling staircase in the other direction.
"Him?" you muttered under your breath as your face began to burn. It only took a few quick strides for you to reach the door to her chambers. For the first time since she married Viserys, you broke royal protocol and entered without knocking.
The evidence couldn't have been more incriminating. The wrinkled furs atop the bed you had made neatly that morning, combined with her flushed skin and the guilt-striken look on her face confirmed what you had initially assumed.
"Him?" you repeated what you had asked yourself to her as the heavy wooden door slammed behind you. "Why?"
It was all you honestly needed to know in that moment. Perhaps you had been foolish to think if you bided your time and waited out Viserys' illness, there could be some hope for the two of you after all. You figured at the very least there'd be a conversation, some closure of some kind that would finally release the grip she had over you all these years. The thought of her jumping into bed with the closest handsome knight, the Commander of the Kingsguard no less, hadn't crossed your mind at all.
Alicent remained frozen for so long it almost infuriated you more, her wide eyes locked on your own and her hands clasped to her chest. She moved finally, arms falling so she could finish smoothing out the fabric of her gown. Her gaze lowered as well, as she could no longer hold yours.
"Y/N," she started, voice still shaking from the adrenaline that had flooded her system the moment you burst through the door. "I'm sorry-"
"Why him, Alicent?" you demanded, voice strained from the effort of holding back tears. You were determined to save them for after this conversation, hopefully until you were packing your belongings and arranging a carriage to take you anywhere but King's Landing.
"I don't know! It started when he began guarding my chambers at night, before Jaehaerys was murdered. That night...that night we were-"
She took a sharp breath then, suddenly overwhelmed by the shame and horror from that night combined with the guilt washing over her from being caught by you. Though you were arguably the safest possible person in the kingdom to know about her secret, you were also someone she desperately prayed never would.
Unable to hold her composure any longer, Alicent collapsed under the weight of her emotions. A heaving sob escaped her as she whirled away from you, covering her eyes to hide the tears spilling from them.
It would have broken your heart to see her in such a state if she hadn't already just done so.
"I'll let the Small Council know you aren't feeling well and won't be attending. Anything else?" you offered, voice steadying slightly despite the threat of tears still prickling at the corners of your eyes. Alicent didn't respond, didn't even turn to face you as she continued to cry. You felt a slight pang of guilt amidst the betrayal and anger that dominated your thoughts as her shoulders shook with each quick breath. Ignoring the impulse to cross the room and hold her that came with it, you left her chambers and began the long trek towards the Small Council's room.
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It was several hours passed sunset when a small series of knocks at your door roused you from a light, and rather restless sleep. Your brain allowed only a few seconds of confusion before the events of the day flooded back. Despite the reluctance to face her, you knew Alicent had taken a significant risk in sneaking to this section of the Red Keep at this time of night, so you rose to let her in quickly.
"Thank the Gods," she whispered as she slipped through the opening door, "-I heard someone coming."
"Maybe I should have let you get caught," you muttered, turning to grab the lone candle burning on a nearby wall holder. You lit a few of the others that were strewn across the small desk near your bed, creating some distance between the two of you.
As the flames lit the room, you studied her appearance and wondered to yourself where she had sourced the dark, well-worn cloak she had used to disguise her appearance.
"I suppose I deserve that," she sighed, hands coming together in front of her so she could twist one of her rings. "I needed to see you and it couldn't wait until morning."
"Bold of you to assume I'll be here in the morning."
Alicent's eyebrows rose at the statement, shocked at the insinuation. You hadn't been truly apart since adolescence, and the possibility had hardly existed to her up until this point in her life.
"Where would you go?" she asked incredulously. It was then that she noticed the small bag in the corner, firm and stuffed full with your belongings. Another sat slightly behind your feet, packed with supplies from the kitchen's leftovers that night.
"Honestly, I hadn't decided yet. Do you suppose Rhaenyra needs a handmaiden?"
That statement hit her even harder than the first, and a wounded scoff was all she could muster at first.
"You don't mean that," she whispered, head shaking slightly. "You're just trying to hurt me, and that's fine. I deserve it."
"No, Alicent, I'm leaving. I've wasted years of my life waiting on you, hoping that there might be a way. And then you go and fuck Ser Cole without so much as a second thought. So, even if it's not for Rhaenyra's service, I'm leaving King's Landing before I lose any more of my life here."
Alicent moved from her spot by the door as you spoke, panic setting in at the determination in your voice. Since Viserys' death, everything had been spiraling out of control so quickly. Even her own actions. She couldn't bare the thought of losing you too after so much.
"Y/N, please," she practically whispered, hands grabbing yours and squeezing them tightly before you could pull away. "I can't lose you. I'm sorry. I...I've just wanted to keep you safe all these years. You were right about it being too dangerous when I kissed you before, and every time I've wanted to since then, that's all I've thought of."
Her words spilled out faster and faster, her eyes searching your's for any sign of understanding.
"I love you, Y/N. You're the only person I've ever truly loved and trusted my whole life, and I haven't been able to. Not the way I've wanted to."
Your resolve to stay strong was fading as quickly as she was speaking, aided along by the feeling of her thumbs rubbing circles into the back of your hands. Alicent saw the way your gaze softened. The way your shoulders went from leaning back to relaxing inwards towards her own body. It was all she needed to finally step forward and kiss you again for the first time in over six and a half years.
You didn't pull away this time, and your hands fell to hold her waist almost exactly the way had the last time she had pressed herself against you like this. Everything else was muscle memory, stored away with the memories of the "practice sessions" of your teenage years.
"Please don't leave me," she whispered breathlessly, finally ending the embrace to ask you again to stay. You opened your eyes and found her's waiting, brow scrunched upwards in anticipation of your answer.
Hmmm well… part 2 for vigilante!reader x Lena Luthor could start with them being in National City and in Lena’s territory. Reader paid Lena a visit but because of her hectic sched it didn’t happen and reader was photographed and in the tabloids being the Gotham’s bachelorette visiting the bar of NC (Jealous!Lena). Unbeknown to Lena, Reader was there to investigate on Cadmus as Lilian has been kidnapping innocent people and scientists in Gotham but bringing them to NC. Snooping around as her vigilante persona. Because of her Vigilante status, Supergirl doesn’t like reader and may have harm her in which enrage Lena because before she became NC’s hero she was a vigilante herself (very hypocritical for SG). This kinda triggered Lena to confront her feelings for Reader and well reader too. Angst with almost critical injury but hey it’s Lena Luthor after all. Happy ending maybe? Hmmm idk if this is enough but yeah😅
Thanks again for humouring me
-🐎
A/N: Apologies for the wait, but hope you enjoy and thank you for the request!
Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/wlw-multi-fandom-imagines/773772069970313216/im-not-sure-if-your-requests-are-open-but-uhmmm?source=share
I'm so sorry, but something came up at work and I'm going to have shareholders breathing down my neck for the next quarter if I don't get it handled tonight...any chance I can get a rain check for tomorrow night?
You stood in the middle of the sidewalk outside of the L-Corp building, staring at the text from Lena that had come through several minutes ago, and frowned. Sure, you had somewhat expected her to get cold feet about your visit at some point in the week leading up to it, but by the time you had settled into your seat on the plane it seemed like you were in the clear.
"Whatever," you muttered to yourself, shoving your phone in your pocket and turning around just in time to hail yourself a passing cab back to the hotel you had just checked into. Since your run-in turned hookup with Lena back in Gotham, you and the Luthor heiress had remained in contact almost daily through a serious of playful texts that had eventually built up to her suggesting you swing by National City the next time you found yourself free for a few days.
And thanks to that suggestion, you were now alone on a Friday night in a city you didn't particularly care for to begin with. Even worse, you were going to have to make up an excuse for why you couldn't meet Lena the next night. Despite her assistance in helping you to finally get a disguise in order for your nighttime hobby, Lena hadn't pried too extensively into what exactly it was that you did. In all honesty, she didn't exactly need to since the press was following your every move and every citizen in Gotham had a cellphone that they were quick to whip out and start filming on.
This plan, however, was something you were counting on going unreported and under everyone's radar, Lena included. Over the last few weeks, almost coincidently around the time you and Lena had met, a scientist you had interviewed for an assignment from a journalism class back in college went missing, seemingly without a trace. A week later, another Gotham citizen who worked at a nearby testing facility disappeared as well.
Over the next three and a half weeks, six more Gotham citizens went missing, all of whom were involved in either medical or genomic research in some way or another. The police had next to nothing to go off of, and it had taken your own software weeks to finally find a facial recognition match off of CCTV footage from a gas station just outside of National City. With news of Lillian Luthor's escape from prison just under three months ago still fresh in your mind, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. National City only had so many evil geniuses, and the one that had been in maximum security prison for nearly a year would probably be hard pressed to find new (and willing) employees.
You mulled over your plan to infiltrate Lillian's latest lair during the short trip back to your hotel, and continued to do so when you got back to your room and started sorting through your suitcase to unpack a fresh outfit for the night. It wasn't until your phone buzzed again in your pocket that you finally broke out of your thoughts and smiled for the first time since Lena had cancelled on you.
Hey, a little birdy told me you're in town for the weekend...got any plans?
Trevor, an old friend from grad school that had settled in National City, had somehow already gotten word of your arrival. Knowing full well he was probably already planning a club crawl in your honor, you hurried to type a response to let him know you were free & what hotel to pick you up from.
Lena looked up from her phone as her assistant appeared at the doorway to her office and set the device aside in a final attempt to stop thinking about the fact you hadn't answered any of her texts last night.
"Here's this morning's copy of the Tribune and your coffee. Anything else I can get you?"
"No thank you. Would you be able to close the door on your way out? I have to make a few phone calls and I don't want any interruptions," Lena replied, using every ounce of self-control she had to keep a smile on her face until her assistant had turned to exit the large office. As soon as she did, the CEO's smile dropped and she forced herself to look back down at the newspaper on her desk despite the way the photo on the bottom half of the front page made her stomach churn.
GOTHAM BACHELORETTE SCOPES OUT NATIONAL CITY'S FINEST
The headline was almost just as bad as the picture of you appearing to be having the time of your life at a downtown club, surrounded by what looked to be "National City's Finest". Many of them had been captured with their eyes on you in the snapshot that accompanied the short article. Almost as if on cue, Lena's phone began to buzz on the desk beside the newspaper and the brunette's head snapped towards it immediately. Your name appeared across the screen as the device vibrated rhthmically, which Lena allowed it to do for several seconds before sending you to voicemail.
Lena spent the next five hours throwing herself into the work of cleaning up the rest of the mess that had caused her and a majority of her department heads to work until almost midnight the night before. Then, she gathered her things and exited her office to thank the employees she had called in for working on a Saturday before releasing them to enjoy what was left of their weekends.
As Lena returned to her desk to retrieve her jacket and phone, she noticed yet another notification with your name on it waiting for her on her lockscreen. You hadn't tried calling or texting again after leaving a voicemail that Lena had decided not to listen to until she got home, but the brunette didn't have the luxury of work to distract herself now. So, she quickened her pace just enough to reach her desk in time to catch you on the last ring.
"Y/N."
"Lena, hi-"
You sounded surprised (and also maybe a little scared), and the corners of Lena's mouth twitched upwards into the hint of a smirk.
"-sorry if I'm interrupting work. I just wanted to apologize for not getting back to you last night. Hope you didn't end up working too late."
"Oh, how kind of you to worry. I don't think I was out nearly as late as you, so I should be the one calling on you I suppose."
The line went silent for a few tense moments and Lena pulled her phone back to make sure she hadn't dropped your call.
"Lena, you should know as well as anyone how the press makes mountains out of mole hills. I can assure you I did nothing more than catch up with an old friend from college. Who is married by the way. And a man."
Lena felt her bristling demeanor soften as she considered the possibility that you were telling the truth. You were right about one thing without a doubt - she knew how the press could twist one well-timed photo into a front page article.
"So, you weren't scoping out National City's finest and I'm coming across as an insecure bitch?"
"Just the first part. Any chance you'd be free for brunch tomorrow before I head home? My buddy is in trouble with his wife for being out so late with me and I promised to attend dinner at their place to help with his apology tonight."
Lena crossed her arms and bit her lip in a failed attempt to hide the smile forming, despite the fact that you weren't even there to see it. She felt foolish for being so quick to assume the worst, and for how quickly she was smitten with you again now that it was clear your transgressions from the previous night had only occurred in her head.
"Brunch sounds great. I'll text you the address to a good spot when I get home."
Relief washed over you as you hung up the call and you let out a long sigh as you tossed the device onto the bed beside the suitcase that held your supplies. Now that the first harrowing ordeal of the day involving a Luthor was over, it was time to move on to the next one.
The mission for tonight was simple enough - get in, get the proof you needed that CADMUS was kidnapping Gotham residents, and then get back to Gotham and disperse it to the journalists at your disposal as quickly as possible.
Once the media picked up the story, you were counting on Supergirl and her team to handle the takedown and rescue mission. Admittedly, even breaking into CADMUS was a fair bit riskier than the typical vigilante work you kept yourself busy with in Gotham. You were just hoping that you could get in and out with the proof that you needed without anyone noticing.
As the afternoon ticked by and the sun slowly began descending towards the western skyline of National City, you rehearsed scenario after scenario in your head as you changed into your disguise and armed yourself to the teeth with weapons, sensory-enhancing technology, and a few smoke grenades in case things went south. Thankful that it was winter, you pulled a long coat on to hide your outfit for the walk out of the hotel to the car you had rented. A bundle of nerves wound itself up and settled in your gut like a lead brick as you stuffed your phone in your pocket and left to make your way down to the lobby.
That's all you could think to yourself as you watched the blonde in the fluttering red cape creep silently down the dark hallway ahead of you. Everything had gone according to plan since you had managed to slip past the easily-distracted guards that had manned the gates to the makeshift CADMUS compound. At least, until a few minutes ago when you had realized Supergirl was also sneaking around the building with you.
Aware that the superhero would hear you breathing if you got too close, you hung back until she had reached the end of the hallway and turned the corner to resume your slow, silent journey. If your footsteps or breathing didn't give you away, the way your heart was hammering in your chest was sure to attract the Kryptonian's attention. You weren't necessarily sure what she'd do if she realized you were there, but something told you she wouldn't find it entirely helpful.
"And who do we have here?"
A sudden and chillingly familiar voice pulled you out of your racing thoughts and you whirled around in a crouched position to see none other than Lillian Luthor standing at the other end of the hallway with a handgun trained on you. Based on the way her eyes didn't leave yours, you wagered she hadn't seen Supergirl round the corner ahead of you.
"You'll have to forgive me, it's a little tough to keep up with all of the so-called heros nowaways. Though I must say, I'm a bit impressed that someone who hasn't even made it into my radar was able to sneak their way in here," she continued, walking closer to where you knelt on the floor.
"Lillian!"
Supergirl's voice echoed down the hall from behind you and you thanked your lucky stars that she had still been close enough to hear the conversation.
"Drop the gun."
"Supergirl? You're here too? Is this your new little sidekick?" Lillian asked, her nose wrinkling in disgust at the sight of the Kryptonian. Much to your disappointment, she did not lower the weapon in her hands.
"I'm gonna be honest, I have no idea who this is. But I'd still prefer you not shoot them," Supergirl replied, her voice growing louder as she neared the two of you. As cheesy as you found the whole "Super" schtick at times, you sure were glad she had crashed your mission now.
The sense of security you felt from her intervention was about to be short-lived, unfortunately.
"I'm sure they'd prefer that too," Lillian chuckled, returning her gaze to you. "Too bad."
The sound of the gun going off and the impact from the bullet happened so quickly that you didn't even have time to brace yourself before you slammed backwards into a crumpled position.
-------------------------------------
10:15
Lena watched the clock on her phone as another minute ticked by without any sign of you. Blinking back tears as soon as she felt them starting to sting in her eyes, the brunette pulled a few bills out of her wallet and placed them on the table as she rose to leave the crowded restaurant she now felt foolish for showing up to. As soon as she got outside, Lena tapped your name from her contact list and raised the phone to her ear.
As the CEO paced up and down the sidewalk outside of the restaurant, she felt herself grow angrier and angrier as your phone continued to ring and ring before inevitably inviting her to leave a message. She was just about to give up after her third attempt when the ringing cut off and an unexpected, but familiar voice filled her ear.
"Lena?"
"Kara?" Lena's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as her brain struggled to come up with a logical explanation for Kara answering your phone. "Why do you have Y/N's phone?"
"I, um, do you remember that story I was working on at the beginning of last month about that Gotham city vigilante?"
"Yes, Kara, I already know about all of that, and I am sorry for not telling you when I found out but I'm sure you can understand someone keeping a secret about someone else's identity. Is Y/N okay?"
"Oh! Well, that saves me some explaining. In the interest of keeping this short, Y/N crashed a DEO mission to re-capture your mother last night and unfortunately, she ran into Lillian. She shot her as a distraction to make her escape, and it was pretty bad."
"What do you mean, 'pretty bad'?"
Lena knew she should also be asking about her mother's whereabouts, considering she was certainly on the top of Lillian's shit list. The brunette broke into a jog as she made her way down the sidewalk to where her driver had managed to find a parking spot earlier.
"It was...touch and go there for a minute. She was in surgery for most of the night, but Alex says she's stabilized and will probably wake up soon. It'll be a while before she's on her feet again, but the medical team seemed optimistic in the long run."
"I'm on my way down," Lena told Kara firmly, before briefly holding the phone to her shoulder as she slid into the back of her town car and gave her driver the address to the DEO.
"Okay, I'll come to the front and meet you."
Lena hung up without bothering to respond to Kara's confirmation and settled in for what was sure to be an unbearably long ride across town. A wave of guilt rolled over the businesswoman as she recalled how angry she had been with you just minutes ago for not showing up. Lena had spent more time thinking about you since her trip to Gotham than she cared to admit, even to herself. Seeing your name on her phone had quickly become one of the highlights of her day, so much so that she had to silence your notifications during work because she became so distracted.
Lena spent the majority of the 40 minute drive trying unsuccessfully to fight off her brain's steady attempts to help her come to terms with the feelings that had been brewing since your first encounter with her. By the time her town car pulled up in front of the DEO's National City headquarters, the brunette felt like her was about to explode.
Kara was in the process of checking her phone for the sixth time in less than 10 minutes when her ears picked up the faint sounds of your sheets rustling. The blonde was quick to slip her phone into the hidden pocket in the latest Super suit Lena had made for her before your eyes fluttered open, unaware that Lena had hidden an identical one in the outfit that the DEO's medical team had cut off of your the night before.
"Hey, you're awake. Perfect timing," she said, watching as your eyes scanned the room in sleepy confusion before they finally met her own. "Any chance you remember why you were sneaking around Lillian's lair last night?"
"I could ask you the same thing," you responded hoarsely, and the Kryptonian's eyes narrowed enough for you to continue with an actual answer. "I was following some leads on missing Gotham scientists. Lillian was having them kidnapped to work on something for her. Not sure what. I was hoping if I got some proof and ran a few stories through my journalists, someone like you might take it from there and get them out."
The superhero looked taken aback by your answer, clearly unaware that Lillian had been sourcing unwitting participants into her latest CADMUS plot.
"That's good to know, thanks," she nodded curtly, somewhat embarrassed for having assumed you were just brazenly planning on trying to take down Lillian by yourself as an amateur vigilante. "I guess it's a little late to be asking, but how're you feeling?"
"I've been better, but I suppose I'm probably lucky to be alive, so I won't complain. Where are we, by the way? If this is your secret lair, consider me impressed it has it's own medical wing."
"More like the government's secret lair," Kara responded, her bristling demeanor fading. "Unfortunately, that's about all I can say about that without getting you several levels of clearances. Speaking of, you have a visitor on the way that should be here any second, so I'm going to have to go escort her down here."
A visitor? You frowned in confusion, struggling against the painkillers in your system to figure out who she meant as the Kryptonian made her way towards the door to your room.
"Lena?" you finally blurted out, just as she was about to leave. Kara turned around and nodded, a curious look on her face.
"Uh huh. You had three missed calls from her, and Lena's become a good friend of mine so I figured it was better to pick up than to leave her hanging."
The panic that had surged in your chest at the thought of Lena assuming you had stood her up began to settle and you breathed out a sigh of relief.
"I appreciate that, thank you. You didn't happen to mention where we were last night, did you?"
Suddenly, the superhero's expression dropped and her eyes once again narrowed on you suspiciously. The brief feeling of relief from seconds earlier slipped away as she took several steps back towards your bed.
"You know, as one of Lena's close friends, I'd sure hate to think someone was getting close to her for information about her family."
"What? No!" you shook your head earnestly at the accusation. "Listen, I didn't even know about Lillian targeting Gotham scientists until weeks after Lena and I first...met."
"Just seems like a coincidental time for you to enter her life, that's all. Considering I've never heard her mention you-"
The blonde's skeptical response was cut short by the sound of her phone going off and she huffed in frustration, clearly having wanted to continue her interrogation.
"We'll pick this conversation up again later."
Before you could protest again, the Kryptonian had disappeared in a blur of red and blue out of the room. Despite the insulted feeling her accusations had left you with, you couldn't exactly blame her for pointing out the obvious connection. Your stomach churned as you wondered if she would fill Lena in on her theory before you got the chance to speak to her yourself.
----------------------------------------
Your anxiety was well-deserved, because Kara barely let Lena get past the DEO's security check-in before she mentioned how suspicious it was that someone new in her life coincidentally happened to be investigating CADMUS.
"What are you trying to say here? That Y/N has been sniffing around me for information I don't have about my mother?"
"Listen, Lena, I think you should just consider the possibility that your new little vigilante friend might have had ulterior motive-"
"I'm going to stop you right there, because the way you said vigilante was completely uncalled for, especially when you yourself started out as exactly that," Lena interrupted, careful to keep her voice low as the two of them made their way towards the DEO's medical area.
"Okay, that's fair. I'm sorry," Kara admitted, her own voice softening as she considered the truth of Lena's statement.
"And, for the record, Y/N's never asked about my mother or CADMUS, and she's not my friend. I met her at the beginning of last month when I went to that conference in Gotham and we...well, I don't know what exactly we are, but it's certainly not 'friends'."
Lena crossed her arms and stared at the ground as she and Kara came to a stop outside the entrance to your room. Her burning need to defend you from Kara's accusations had brought more out than she planned on revealing.
"Oh! Well, that is certainly new information..." Kara stammered, her suspicions now long forgotten. Although she and Lena were close, it wasn't often that the CEO spoke about her love life and Kara had always just kind of assumed that thanks to her family, Lena was too closed off to have one. "I'm sorry for making this more stressful on you. I'm gonna go find Alex and give you two some privacy."
"Thanks," Lena nodded, "and it's okay. I know you're just trying to look out for me and I'll always appreciate that."
Kara smiled and gave her friend's shoulder a gentle squeeze before turning to speed down the hall. Lena stared in the direction she had headed for several moments, now somewhat hesitant to see you despite how excruciatingly long the drive across town had felt. The brunette took a deep breath and tried to ignore the fact that her hands were trembling before forcing herself to step into your room.
Sorry to end it there but I kind of wanted to leave potential for a part 3! :)
No worries! Can I request (unless you've done this before) JJ and/or Emily finding out you've been in the hospital from an accident (you can decide what the accident is or leave it vague) and just them helping you settle back into normal life. Kinda vague and weird request but there it is? Thanks!
"You ready to get out of here?"
You looked up from your phone and nodded at the nurse that had just popped into the hospital room that had been your home for the last two weeks.
"I thought you'd never ask," you replied, managing a smile despite the way it made your face ache. It had been 15 days since you woke up back in Virginia after a nasty collision with an unsub had sent your SUV through a guardrail and down an embankment into a shallow stream. At least, that's what they told you happened. The last thing you remembered was getting in your vehicle to chase the man down after he managed to escape the house the team had been closing in on and hop into his truck.
"That pretty blonde is waiting at the entrance for you, so we better hurry before someone starts honking at her," the older woman joked as she rolled a wheelchair over beside your bed. As she pressed the button to lower your hospital bed, you braced yourself for the pain that would undoubtedly come with transferring yourself into the chair.
"Ready?"
You nodded at her question and slowly began scootching yourself to the side of the bed, grunting a bit with every effort you made to get there. Despite the effort you had been putting in to follow your recovery instructions, your mobility was limited at best and every movement came with a price. As the nurse steadied you, you paused for a moment to catch your breath before putting your weight on your "good" leg and shifting over to the wheelchair.
"Shit," you breathed out as you sank uncomfortably into the chair. "That fucking sucked."
"Oh how I'll miss that coloful language of yours," she laughed behind you and reached down to unlock the brakes.
"I'm sure," you replied.
The two of you continued to chat as she rolled you down the hall and into the elevator that would take you to the lobby. You had only been outside once since waking up there, and you found yourself growing impatient to breathe the fresh air again as the elevator stopped every so often to allow medical staff and their patients on and off.
"Alright Agent Y/N, here we are," your nurse announced as the elevator finally reached the lobby. As the doors slid open, you immediately caught sight of JJ's car parked just outside the set of sliding glass doors by the admission station. "I certainly hope I won't have to see you here again any time soon."
"That makes two of us. Thank you for taking such good care of me while I was here, and for the extra puddings," you chuckled. As the sliding glass doors opened, JJ hopped out of her driver's seat and rounded the car to open the door for you.
"Hey," she said, doing her best to ignore the urge to ask your nurse if she was certain you were okay to leave. "Ready to go?"
"You bet."
After another painful series of maneuvers and a fair amount of curse words on your behalf, you managed to get settled in the passenger seat of JJ's car and caught your breath and she and your nurse loaded the wheelchair into her trunk. Grateful for the cool breeze that cooled your sweat soaked forehead, you rolled the window down and closed your eyes as JJ got back into the driver's seat and started the engine.
"You okay?" she asked, glancing over at you before pulling towards the parking lot exit.
"Mhmm," you affirmed. "Just catching my breath and enjoying the fact that I'm outside. Thank you for coming to get me."
"Of course. I figured you'd need someone to help you get around for a while, so I took the rest of this week off too."
You opened your eyes and turned away from the window to look at her in a mix of surprise and relief. Though you wouldn't admit it, you were worried about how well you'd be able to get around your apartment without her help if she was gone throughout the day.
"I appreciate that, and I promise to loan you back some PTO once mine starts building up again...so like next year, at the earliest."
JJ laughed and you relished the sound, having barely heard it since your accident. She had been worn down by worry since pulling up to the broken guardrail and seeing your smashed SUV sitting in the stream down below, and even seeing you awake after your surgeon's assurances to her that things had gone well hadn't fully squashed her concern.
"Don't mention it. I could use the break myself, and I have about a million rom-coms to show you while you're my captive-er, I mean my patient."
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