The Soldier and The Spy: Tess Danvers- Episode 3

Bonus Scene

Eleven Years Ago

Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.

They were already at theG's for fuck's sake.

She had minutes, fucking minutes until they called his name and God and Allah and the whole fucking universe as her witness she was not going to miss it.

Even if that meant she was going to be covered in bruises by the time she got there.

And as she rushed out of the cab and then fell back into it, twisting her ankle on the heels she still wasn't used to wearing, she knew that was a very likely outcome. She had to wave off Tahir's comment of concern, and his offer of help, giving the cabby one last flustered smile before she hurried to join the ceremony.

Jay was graduating from the police academy today and Tess was pretty sure she was more nervous than he was. Of course a large part of that was her fear that she wouldn't make it in time- she'd only gotten off the plane thirty minutes ago. She hadn't even gone to Langley for their post-op debrief but her superiors were just going to have to suck it because she wasn't going to miss watching him walk across that stage.

Not for the world.

And it may not have come too close to that, but it hadn't been easy to get here either.

But that didn't matter. None of it did because she was here, she was finally fucking here and she had to stop running before she tripped again, or called too much attention to herself. She paused to suck down a couple somewhat calming breaths before she slipped into the amphitheatre, coming to a sudden halt when she looked to her left and got caught in a familiar green gaze. Not quite the same stormy, forest eyes of her boyfriend, but similar.

Those of his father, Pat Halstead.

She was surprised to see him given how unsupportive he'd been of his son's desire to join the police force, apparently even more unsupportive than he'd been of Jay joining the military which she'd been told was saying something. Actually the last time Tess had seen the man had been just a few months ago when she'd reamed him out for that lack of support, after one too many of his mumbled not entirely/at all under his breath comments had pushed her over the edge. And as he held back a wince she knew he was remembering that moment too, and probably wondering if there was about to be a rematch. Part of her was tempted, thanks to Jay and Mouse and Carol she hadn't been able to say anywhere near everything she'd wanted to but she also knew that now wasn't the time. Plus... he was here.

He'd come.

He didn't come with her when she tilted her head towards the audience, but did she really expect him to?

She knew how rocky his and Jay's relationship was, his presence here was practically a miracle and it was going to have to be enough because she wasn't about to risk missing Jay's moment just because his father didn't know how to apologize. So with as understanding of a look as she could give him she started hurrying down the aisles, waiting for the next round of applause to slip into the row Mouse had indicated in his text. He and Lydia greeted her with bright smiles as she squeezed into the empty seat between them, her aunt giving her a tight side-hug while Mouse just knocked his fist against hers, a smirk growing on his lips as he looked her over.

"What?" She whispered, straining to try and spot Jay on the stage. They'd started on the H's- his name was bound to be called any moment.

"You look good in white. But I think you'd look even better if your dress wasn't on backwards."