Notes: Many thanks to the great beta by Michelle Kiefer and support from DS. This story was written for the "After the Fact" Pilot episode challenge.
I hear Ethan calling
me from the bedroom. I know he wants me in there, but I need to get the bus
schedule for my trip in the morning. Just when I'm ready to hang up and take
up Ethan's offer of a ride, the woman's voice comes over the phone.
"What is your location?"
"1419 33rd Street, northwest."
"Destination," the monotone voice asks.
"The Hoover Building, Pennsylvania Avenue."
"One moment please."
"Dana, are you coming? I'm getting lonely in here," Ethan calls
again. He likes me near him when he goes to sleep. Even if we're not going
to make love, which we aren't tonight because I have to get up in the morning
and be totally on my game, even then, he likes to spoon. I can only imagine
what he'll be like when I go on the road. Blevins said there would be a lot
more travel with this assignment. I haven't told Ethan about that part. I'm
going to have to get him a body pillow...or a really big teddy bear.
"Bus number 30 will pick you up at the corner of Wisconsin and P St.
at 7:26 a.m. Take the bus in the direction of the Archives. You will arrive
at 7:48 a.m. Any further questions?"
I tell her no and hang up, once again silently cursing the concerned citizens
of Georgetown for screwing me out of a Metro stop. How typical that the "society"
folk would be so afraid of tainting their pretty streets with the homeless
that they would end up cheating themselves out of access to one of the cleanest,
safest mass transit systems in the world.
I hate taking the bus. It's so unpredictable and I feel so exposed standing
out there on the corner. And there was that time, the time when the mentally
ill man called me "white bitch" and touched my hair. I didn't ride
the bus for a long time after that.
I
will have to ride that bus, the number 30, every day...until my name comes
up on the Hoover building parking lot waiting list. Rumor has it that without
pulling strings the wait can be three years. Three years of riding the bus
will be an eternity.
"Hey, you get what you needed?" Ethan asks, appearing behind me
to rub my shoulders. "You're so tight, Dana."
"Hmmm," I mumble, dropping my head forward as he continues to massage
the knots from my neck. He has this sixth sense to know what I need and when.
"I was serious, I can drop you on my way to the station..."
I pull away. "No, I have that meeting at 8:30 tomorrow morning and I
want to find my desk, get things settled." I really don't want to be
late and
Ethan is never on time...for anything, including all of our dates.
"So I'll take you to lunch," he replies, leaning in to nibble at
my neck.
"I don't know Ethan...I just don't quite know what to expect. It's a
new assignment, there might be meetings or things I need to do," I answer,
turning to look at him.
"Well, just don't get too attached to this new partner...I don't want
him stealing away all my time with you."
I answer him with a kiss, then stand and hold out my hand. "I have an
early day, so we'd better get to bed," a smile crossing my face.
"All work and no play..." Ethan responds, following me to the bedroom.
I do have to get up early tomorrow, but suddenly I'm feeling like a little
nooky might help me sleep more soundly.
~*~*~*~
When the alarm rings the next morning, I've already been up for nearly an
hour. It's impossible for me to sleep when I have something big happening
the next day. I had woken up every hour on the hour all night long.
I climb out of bed, trying not to wake Ethan. A quick shower later, I find
myself standing in front of my closet. I'm about fifteen pounds beyond my
favorite outfits, but the suit I bought this winter at the Lord and Taylor
clearance will have to do. I have to get back to the gym, and that is all
there is to it. I'm going out into the field now and I need to be in better
shape, it's my duty to myself, the Bureau and my new partner, Fox Mulder.
"Hey..."
I turn to find Ethan sitting up in bed.
"Sorry, I was trying to let you sleep in," I say, crossing over
to sit on the bed next to him.
"Have a great day, babe. You're going to do just fine."
"Will you be here for dinner tonight?"
He nods. I look down at my watch. I have to go if I'm going to grab a cup
of coffee at Au Bon Pain. I lean down and kiss him again.
"Have a great day, honey." I am so appreciative about his support
for me. This new assignment means so much to me, and I think he understands
that.
~*~*~*~
I slump down in the seat on the bus. Part of me thinks I should have taken
Ethan up on his offer to pick me up from work. I am so exhausted. I could
just go home and go straight to bed. There was so much from the day to take
in, not the least of which was my new partner. He is...interesting, intriguing,
a real enigma. He's going to keep me on my toes. And his theories...well,
that will take some getting used to, that's for sure.
I reach up to signal my stop. The bus pulls to the corner and I ease myself
off the slow-moving vehicle.
"Hey there, Special Agent."
I turn to find Ethan waiting for me, flowers in his hand.
"I figured if you wouldn't let me intrude on the sacred space of the
Bureau, the least I could do was walk you home from the bus."
"That's so...third grade, Ethan," I say as I lean in to kiss him.
I slip my arm through his and we turn toward home.
"So, tell me about your day," he says as we head across Wisconsin
Avenue.
"Oh, same old, same old," I reply. I have no idea how to describe
my experience, to explain my initial meeting with Special Agent Mulder. There
is nothing I can say to Ethan that won't make him ask more questions than
I am ready to answer. He will just have to be patient.
FIN
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