𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 ➵ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

Chapter 24: What Makes Me Different?

YOU SPEND THE night laughing and joking with Cora's family, and you don't drink at all. Although you are probably already breaking laws by not updating your team, you don't want to make it worse for yourself, so you always decline when Cora offers you a drink.

Rory rests happily on your knee, already asleep due to it being 10pm. Her breath sends waves of air over your collarbone, and you occasionally push her hair out of her face and adjust her position. Cora admires the way you are with her and as Jack leaves to wash the dishes, tilts her head at you.

"And you don't want children?"

You shake your head, "No. I think there's a difference in the ideology of children and the responsibility of children."

"And there's the intelligence again," she raises her glass at you, "Where did that big brain of yours take you?"

You hesitate, "Quantico."

"Like the TV show?"

"No-" you stop yourself and take in her drunken state, "Yes. Yes, the TV show."

She laughs and placed her glass down, "I'm kidding. What's so interesting about Quantico?"

"The FBI." You answer outwardly.

Her face loses its smile, but not in an angry way, she proceeds to nod and take another sip out of her glass, "So, you put the bad guys away?"

You snort, "Something like that."

"Anyone in your unit good-looking?"

You pause, "You're married, Cora."

She shakes her head and laughs, making you raise your brows. Jack enters the room and removes Rory from your lap, and you whisper a goodbye into her ear as she is taken to her room.

"You always do that, deflect when you don't want to lie."

You lean back in your seat, "Are you coming for my job, Coraline?"

She shrugs and gestures to where her apron is thrown over one of the dining chairs, "I'm not you, Y/n. I settled for Graysville, just like my mother. That was always the plan, I just never thought I'd lose you in the process."

You look down guiltily and fiddle with your fingers, "I'm sorry I left, Cora, but I don't regret it. I would've loved to have you nearby, but I made myself a life I'm happy with. You're happy here, I'm happy up there."

"I know," she nods, "And I'm glad."

The room falls into silence before it is interrupted by the ringing of your phone. You excuse yourself and enter the living room for privacy, bringing the phone to your ear.

"Hello?"

"Y/n, where are you?"

"Garcia," you acknowledge, "I'm just interviewing a witness."

"You fibber," she accuses, "Unless your victim just happens to be the one and only Cora Dairfield, your childhood best friend, and very pretty may I say, then I think you're lying."

"I shouldn't ever underestimate you, should I?"

"It was stupid to believe you could in the first place. I'll cover for you if you want I-"

"No, no it's fine Garcia, don't get yourself into anything because of me. I plan on getting to the motel before midnight anyway."

"From what I've heard from Emily and JJ about its cleanliness, I don't think you want to...but just get there safely, okay?"