The Fall

Epilogue

Janet was thin, tired, and gaunt. She clearly had not eaten very much, not as much as someone her height should be. Her gaze was weak, barely managing to focus on Travis. She looked like a person who had lost all will to exist.

"...I'm sorry," Travis spoke first, his voice travelling though the microphone to the other side of the glass, to where Janet sat in her plain, tan uniform. It was baggy and seemed to weigh her down. "Peter was the only one who seemed to know... he knew that you were innocent from the start."

Janet cracked a smile. "That's right... I think..." her face fell. "Travis... did he know? That you were going to capture me?"

Travis was silent for a moment, his eyes old and sad. "No. We tricked him."

Janet's smile reappeared, a sad one, but it was there. "... I said some horrible things to him... I felt so betrayed."

"You should have... I would have felt the same way." Travis sighed. "I thought his faith was misplaced. I was wrong."

His gaze fell. "I'm the murderer."

Janet did not smile, she did not gloat. Her face did not change. It was a blank slate, wiped clean of emotion. 

"I should't have let James volunteer. It was either him or me. What I did was selfish, and it cost him his life."

"He trusted you," Janet said quietly. "You knew James... he was loyal to a fault. He was never going to back down, if it was a choice." Her eyes met his again, filled with... content. "It wasn't your fault."

Travis managed a smile as well. "Thank you."

Janet leaned back in her seat, letting out a sigh. "What happens now? To you all?"

Travis scratched his ear. "Well, we all got PSA positions. I get to go home for a while, to my wife and son."

Janet cocked her head. "Son?"

"Yeah, Jimmy... James Johan."

Something that could be deciphered as a laugh suddenly came from Janet. It was short lived, but it lived all the same.

"... I expect that I won't ever see you again," She said.

Travis nodded. "No... it depends on what the CIA wants to do. Who knows... just stick to your story. It sounds better if you were unaware."

"But I beat you up," Janet objected, smirking. "They won't forgive me for that."

"... They think the Triad people did it."

"Ooh. Clever."

A silence settled between them. Not uncomfortable, but a silence. 

"Travis... tell Peter that I will miss him."

"I will."

"And to look after my cat."

"Alright."

~

"You talked to her?"

"Yeah... she's going to be fine." Travis smiled at Rita as they walked back out the the car. "She's a resilient one. No matter what happens."

Rita nodded and looked back down at the pavement, sticking her hands in the pockets of her coat. "Lance is waiting for me at the airport now. We're going back to HQ and starting work for the PSA." She smiled. "I have a designation now... Agent 657."

Travis smiled. "Me too... Agent 700. And Peter?"

"400. I don't know the logic behind it, but it's cool."

It really was very cool. The two reached their cars, parked next to each other in the lot.

Rita looked up at Travis. "So... see you soon? Are you coming to the airport too?"

"Yeah... but I'm not going back to HQ." He smiled to himself, looking up at the horizon.

"I'm going home."

~

Six months later

Peter sat alone in his apartment, staring down at his cup of tea. He didn't know why he made it; he didn't even like the kind they had to be purchased at the store. Perhaps he was trying to remember a time long ago. A time that felt eons away.

The tea was cold, he'd made it twenty minutes ago. Somewhere in his flat, he could hear the cat purring. He had gone and retrieved it from his mother months ago.

His wound had healed, not even leaving a scar. Sometimes he wondered about her, where she was, if she was even still alive... who knew what had happened. He knew he had to move on with his life. 

But sometimes, you meet someone. Someone so spectacular, someone who burns themselves deep into your memory. Someone that you can never forget. He remembered the little things, her laugh, the way she'd examine (or admire!) her hands, the way she laughed, the way her eyes looked when she rattled off the names of the stars on that night in Seattle. Sometimes you meet someone that you simply cannot function without. They become part of ever cell, part of your DNA. Fated to always be lodged somewhere in your heart, forever in your memory.

Sometimes you meet someone that you cannot move on from.

The doorbell rang. Peter didn't move; he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right then.

It rang again. He closed his eyes briefly for a moment, before finally rising to his feet, slowly; creakily.

He went and opened the door, and looked out blankly at the person standing there. 

The silence was awkward, and biting. Neither smiled.

"... I was turned over to the PSA," she started quietly. "They took me in, and I was cleared... they found evidence that I was not at fault..."

Peter was numb. Janet looked down at her feet, a mixture of shamed and scared.

"... So now I needed a place to stay... and they recommended you." 

Peter just stared

Janet sighed. "So I'm asking you... please forgive me... I-I know now that I had your faith from the beginning. If you're still mad at me-"

Peter didn't let her finish. Movement suddenly came back, and he leapt forward, wrapping his arms around her, and meeting her in a passionate kiss. Janet closed her eyes, embracing back, filling with relief.

Peter pulled back but held her even closer, enjoying her feel, her scent, the comfort she brought. They stayed like that for a long time, content filling both.

"Janet?"

"Yeah?"

"That day, when we first met... why did you give me your number?"

She didn't say anything at first.

"I mean, it was a tactical risk-"

"I love you, you idiot."

"I thought so."