Obsession (Dark!AndyBarber AU)

-9-

The chill of winter had well and truly set in and Felicity was trying to be careful as she set off for work of a morning, the paths being quite icy.

Across the street, Andy was sat in his Audi, and had been for sometime.

Watching.

Waiting.

His eyes kept themselves fixed on Fliss as she exited the apartment complex and began to walk carefully down the street. Her heels replaced with boots for travel before she'd change them at the office.

She left the same time every morning. 8am sharp. He'd been watching her enough to know that her schedule was always the same in the mornings.

Felicity Sheridan was always on time. Never late.

She always had his coffee on his desk when he would appear at 9am, having waited for her to go in and get herself settled before appearing himself.

She would leave at 5pm every evening, sometimes before him and other times after.

Andy would always make sure that she made it home though. Her travel time was about a half hour on a good day, so he was always able to get there before her, park up unseen and watch until she came walking along and into the safety of home.

This morning, she looked cold. Huddling against the bitter chill that coloured her cheeks a little rosier than normal.

Perhaps he could give her a ride, just this once? The temperature really was dire and the icy sheen on the sidewalks would slow down her travel time somewhat.

Andy waited until she'd turned the corner of the street before deciding to take his chance. Key in the ignition, he started the car and began to drive, turning the corner and seeing that she had got no further than crossing to the other side of the street.

Slowing down after he'd passed her, he signalled and came to a stop, the passenger side window now sliding down as he ducked his head to look at her as she now stopped beside him.

"Morning Miss Sheridan, would you like a ride?"

"Oh, no it's ok, I can walk it sir". She smiled.

"You sure? You're shivering?" He frowned, noting that she really was.

Fliss waved it off, "I wouldn't want you to go out of your way for me Mr Barber".

He leant over and opened the door. "Come on, get in. I know you never like to be late".

Fliss thought about it for a moment and the slid in onto the passenger seat, closing the door and rubbing her hands from the cold. "Thank you". She smiled, "you're early this morning?"

"I have a few documents to read over that I want to get out of the way". He lied, not about to tell her that he would always arrive to work before she did.

The window slid back up again, warmth enveloping the inside of the car, and they set off.

"How was your talk with the law students yesterday?" She asked him, looking ahead at the traffic that was slow but beginning to build up on the way into town.

"Motivational I hope". He grinned just as she did. "Is my diary still intact?"

"I've been with you for a month and have managed to go without deleting it, I don't plan on starting now". She told him with a small laugh.

A month of bliss

Bliss with Fliss.

If only he could have it outside of work rather than just during office hours, although his obsession with her ran incredibly deep by now.

"Well that's music to my ears, but you're enjoying the job? You tell me honestly". He glanced over briefly to have a quick and innocent look at her before turning his attention back to the road.

She was smiling that dazzling smile of hers that he loved. "I am, I'm lucky to have it".

Oh she didn't realise just how lucky she was.

"Well we're lucky to have you on board, you've been sorting my stuff out better than Heather was so see it as a good sign that you'll be staying".

Even if she fucked it all up he'd still keep her on just for his own satisfaction of looking at her everyday.

"I hope so, I really do enjoy it, more so than I thought I would".

"And you get along with everyone?"

She fell a little quiet. "Heather likes to take sly digs at me. Not that I'm complaining and please don't go to her, I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but I think she sees herself as superior to me as I have no experience".

Andy said nothing for a moment, feeling a flicker of irritation for what had just been admitted cross his mind. "How long has it been going on?"

"Since I started".  Came even more of an admittance.

He exhaled deeply. "I see...we'll ignore her, she's just jealous that you're doing the job far better than she was anyway".

Fliss smiled, but behind her eyes he could see that it upset her somewhat.

By now they'd arrived at the firm and got out, Andy taking his briefcase from the backseat and holding the door open to let Fliss in. "After you, once you're sorted come and see me in my office". He told her.

Fliss draped her scarf over the back of her chair and followed him in. He turned to her once the door was closed. "Are you sure that you're ok?"

"I worked in a grocery store Mr Barber, I can handle bitches like Heather". She replied and then looked shocked at her words. "Oh, god I didn't mean to call her that, don't fire me..."

"Woah, slow down. I'm not going to fire you just for telling the truth". He smirked. "Just promise me that anything else that's said or any more problems are brought to me ok? I don't tolerate bullying in my workplace. I just demand respect for each other".

Fliss nodded. "I will...I should get your coffee, and thank you". She smiled gratefully as he watched her go.

He made sure to keep a close eye on her for the rest of the day, and when it was time to go home she left as quickly as she could.
Andy stayed a little while longer to finish some work before shutting everything down, walking out and noticing the scarf draped over the back of Felicity's chair.

Taking it in his hands he turned it over and over, the aroma of her perfume embedded in the material drifting up and into his nostrils.

Taking it into his office he sat back at his desk and unlocked the bottom drawer to it, putting the scarf inside where it would remain until he replaced it for her.

His eyes fell upon the object underneath, a picture frame and slowly he took it out, staring at the boy who was smiling back at him.

And that was when he could feel the familiar sting rise within him once more, after suppressing it for so long.

No.

He couldn't do this, he refused to. He's moved on with his life.

Shoving the picture back into the drawer he locked it quickly and rose from the chair.

He had to get home.

He had to forget it all.

He had to think of Felicity. She was helping him and yet she didn't even know just how much.

But there was only so much forgetting that Andy Barber could do. Even he knew the memories would never go away. No matter how much he wanted them to.