The naturals - one shots

The hotel room mix up (TN3)

This one takes place after the plane scene in the beginning of All in.

Sterlings POV.

We just sat in the car. It was quiet. Nobody talked. Tanner was the biggest hater on quietness. The fact that he still didn't chose to talk, told me enough.

„I think he hit Michael" I broke the ice. Said the only fact out loud that I was keeping way too long for myself. It was buzzing in my head since this morning.„Not every parent has to give their children gifts in order to keep them quiet" It was intended to be directed to my relationship to my father but it hurt. I must have accidentally flinched because Tanner took his eyes from the street to me. „I'm sorry thats not what" I interrupted him.

„Keep you eyes on road. And its not just the expensive Hotel, it was the way he was balancing his own weight. I think he must have bruising on his back. I know how it feels like" The last part I tried to whisper keep to myself. Nobody hurt me in a really long time but a childhood like this is changing your life forever. „Now he is back with us and Judd will make sure nobody touches him" That were really true words by Tanner but I knew him well enough that wanted to say more but he kept it to himself. He didn't want to cross boundaries

I knotted, looked down to my bare Hands and started to talk again. „Its not just Michael, I'm worried about Cassie as well. The body of her mother turning up after all this years. She feels too much" I got the call a week ago. First I couldn't believe it and now all I wanted to do is protect her aswell. I knew how it feels like to loose once on mother. I lost mine when I was really young.

„Sometimes its good when people have empathy" He really didn't get it. That was the problem with him growing up in a really loving family. He will never understand the issues others had to go through. „Other topic. Did you check where Sloane used to grow. Who are her relatives, will we bump into them? Do we need to keep something in mind?" He looked up to me and his facial expression definitely told me that he did not spent a single second to think about this topic. And he was my boss now, unbelievable. . „Lets see how nice our Hotel is then should we?"

Twenty minutes later we were standing in front of a run down motel. „Not quite as nice as the ones the kids stay in" Tanner tried to stay cheerful.

This was the part of the job I never liked. I was always scared of catching bed bugs especially because Scarlett used to tell me all sorts of horror stories about them.

We went inside. It smelled like smoke and dirty old carpet. An old lady was standing behind the front desk. She was smoking a cigarette as if were still in the 80s.

„Hey we booked two rooms our Names are Sterling and Briggs" I said before Tanner had the chance. I tried not show him how heavy my bag really felt. Since the whole kidnapping I wasn't one hundred percent back into my fitness training yet.

„Sorry hon I can't find anything under your names but you are lucky and we have one room left" Excuse me? „There must be a mistake. The booking should have been" Tanner pushed me gently aside. „We take the room. Thank you"

She looked at me for a moment, shrugged with her shoulders and went off to get the keys. This was such a bad joke. „I swear this smells like one of Michaels or Lias bad jokes." I whispered to Tanner.

„Here you go and if you ask me you two would actually make a great couple" If she only knew... I wasn't happy. Nothing about this case seemed great.

I followed Tanner to our room which of course was tiny with only one small desk and the big bed in the middle. In fact it looked like someone had died in here before.

„I can sleep on the floor. I guess I might even get less infections than sleeping in this" He tried to be funny. Tried to lift up the mood. A part of me appreciated that.

I threw my bag on the chair and opened it. I needed to change it was way to warm in Las Vegas. „Don't be ridiculous Tanner. We shared a bed for seven years. I won't die if you sleep next to me again" „And somehow I'm still surprised to hear something like this from you"

Maybe I was too harsh on him. Maybe I should actually let him in again. I got rid of my blazer and was about to turn around to switch shirts when I decide it to just say it.

„Today would be our wedding anniversary" I got out my necklace that I always hid under my clothes. Two things were dangling on there: Scars and mine little key for our secret cabin we used to go by the hill and my old wedding ring.

„You really kept it?" His eyes were widen up. „Its stupid I know" I tried to sound casual. „I knew it was our day but I didn't know what to say" I turned around again, I just looked into his eyes. The eyes that I used to trust more than any other eyes. He was the love of my life. I have never loved the way I did love him ever again.

I wrote this yesterday ✨ I hope you guys enjoy it I am convinced that a lot of things have been finally said in All in between Briggs and Sterling that we don't know about. Any specific scenes or scenarios you are interested about?