Richerson ❤️

Chapter 9 - Forgive and Forget ❤

- Author's Note. Hi, sorry, omg, I know it's been a hell of a while again guys, I keep getting super distracted with events in my personal life. I hope you're all okay during covid!- 

There's no way in HELL that imma be talking to Tasha today. I'm livid, with her, with the entire situation. I think she expects me to just be okay and get on like I would on a regular day. But it's not that simple. She kept some vital information from us, from me. I would never do that to her, neither would any other agent in this particular task force. I wish David was here, then none of this would have even happened. 

It's 9:15 am, it's an early one. Rich tried to force me into having the day off but I can't, not while all the dirt has been kicked up into the air. Tasha went home yesterday, she left about 2-3 hours early and nobody heard from her for the rest of the day. I'm not rude, not intentionally mean to someone. I don't try to hurt people, but I have a right to be angry and cut off all contact with her. 

I need to block it out for a couple of hours, focus my mind on something else, not the Jane Doe case, not Tasha, not David or Borden... Just something. D&D, good idea. I used to be part of this club where we'd play Dungeons and Dragons online, oh I miss those days. 

I've been humming this song since I woke up this morning, I can't even remember where it's from. Must've been on a radio or something, playing in the background. I know Stuart likes background noise when he's working. Surely that would be super distracting? Nah that's just me.. Anyways... Oh my god, I keep zoning out. 

I'm in the lab, my favorite place... I smile. Nobody is here yet. Most agents are due to be in work by 10 am. That's when my team usually arrives. I like an early start on things. It prepares me for the day. 

- Time skip - 10:10 am- 

"Wass good!" Reade yells as the team burst through the lab doors.  I spin on my spinny chair and get up. I walk over to the system screens, my heels clicking against the floor. "Everyone okay?" Weller asks as he emerges from the shadow of Reade. I nod while smiling. I make direct eye contact with Zapata and fidget with my hair. Jane wanders over "How're you holdin' up?" She asks. "Uh, I'm good just a little busy," I reply I'm not gonna lie, my voice is quite monotone. "Anything new?" Weller questions me. I shake my head "No, not currently. I haven't had any leads with anything which is kinda unusual." I answer. "Well, personally I don't have anything does an-" Kurt gets interrupted with a notification from his smartwatch. "What is it?" Jane asks him curiously. "Bombing in Queens. Imma go check this out." He taps his hand on the desk and leaves the room rather quickly, Tasha and Reade following behind.

 Passing them, Rich walks in. "Hey!" I say grinning widely.  "Jeez, pattycakes have you slept?" He teases. Wow, he really just went there. I massage my face with my hands and stare him down. "That better?" I ask sarcastically. "Yep, cuter than ever now." He replies, still smiling, almost laughing. I shake my head and he holds his fist out. "Ride or die?" He asks. I meet his fist with my own and repeat what he said. "Wanna know a secret?" He questions. "What," I answered sternly. "Pretty much my entire life, like since preschool I've been certain that I'm the smartest person in the world."He states. "Wha- That's not a secret, you tell me that all the time.." I say, kinda laughing. He nods and mouths 'I was just tryna cheer you up" He plants a soft kiss directly upon my forehead and holds me in his arms. We're both facing the same way and he softly pulls my hair up from behind and places it on my shoulder so he can see a side view of my face. "Do what my grandmother says" he whispers "Forgive and forget," His expression is so pure and cute. "Who, what do you mean?" I ask. "Tasha, as hard as it might be for you to get over what she did, hell, I'm annoyed with her, but she's your best friend, your partner in crime and if you know her well enough, you'll know that she never intended on hurting you." He assures me. "Fine, I'll go do it," I answer, I didn't think I'd be making any type of contact with her today but I guess I was wrong. 

I walk through the halls heading to Sioc, and I see Tasha over in the corner discussing something with Reade. They finish up their conversation and he leaves the area, politely. "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I wanna just forget about what you did. I hate being awkward around you. It unsettling, but I still agree that what you did was wrong and you're lucky that I changed my mind about it THIS quickly." I say. To my surprise, she answers "Patterson, you know that I would never try to hurt you. I kept quiet because I knew it was wrong and I knew it would have this effect on you." I smile, tell her thank you for thinking of me and I leave. That made me feel much better, as much as I didn't want to do it, I'm glad our mutual feelings are now both in the open and we can go back to how we usually are.

When I get back to the lab, there is a fluorescent yellow sticky note plastered to my desk, it reads "You, and me in the together sense of together." I tear it off with some force and hold it closer to my face, inspecting it with a horrified expression.  Oh, my god, Oh hell. This isn't a funny joke! Stuart is watching me from afar. "Patterson, are you okay?" He asks with a concerned tone in his voice.

I don't answer. Instead, I walk over and slam him against the wall. "Do you think this is funny? Do you think this is a funny joke? Because Stuart it really isn't." I yell "And you guys, clear off out of here! You don't need to be seeing this." All three of them quickly put their things down and exit fairly quickly. Stuart struggles out of my grip. "Get your hands off of me, I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't done anything." I wave the note in his face. "This! Stuart, THIS is what I'm talking about. You were the only one in here, nobody else came in here so it must've been you. You're the only person who was involved with this case and knew what went on, what happened to me." He goes running out of the door and I begin crying. I sink down against the wall and put my head in my hands. 

Moments pass, I get up, still angry, I wanna break something, punch something. It's only recently I've noticed this more violent side to me. I guess my patience is being tested a lot more. 

I take one swing and swipe all the equipment off of the desk, it all falls to the floor making loud crashes and bangs, between cries, I move my hair out of my face and start hitting myself in my head trying to resolve this splitting headache. The door opens, "Hey, hey, hey." Rich says softly. I take a breath,  "Not now Rich" He walks over and wraps his arms around me, he pulls me downwards so we're both sitting on the floor. "Calm down, okay? I'm here." The door reopens and Weller is stood there, "What's going on?" he asks. Rich looks up and over towards him and shakes his head. "Not now" He mouths. Weller walks behind me and picks up the note. "You and me in the together sense of together?" I sob once more, "Yes, it's one of the last things that Borden said to me" I feel Rich's grasp on me become tighter. "Who did it?" Rich whispers in my ear? "I don't know, I thought it was Stuart," I tell him. Weller slams it down onto the desk, "I'm sick of people winding up my agents. It must've been someone who knows what happened but who has access to the building, the lab. Patterson any ideas? We will work on it if you don't, you need to go home, take a leave of absence. You can't be here until we find out who is deliberately trying to upset you. Your head is not in the game and that's putting you at a disadvantage. Okay? I'm going to recommend you to Dr.Sun, see if she'll act as your counselor, I think we're gonna have to get you a doctor, some meds, something. You can't continue like this." He tells me. "Yes, okay, okay," I reply

I'm done, I'm too tired to continue working, I can't focus or concentrate or anything, and I.. I.. I-