C'mere (Paul Banks fanfic)

Bail

Rhiannon felt absolutely awful when she walked into the office that afternoon.

- Bad night? Or... too good? – Lydia asked when she saw her boss' dishevelled hair and grumpy face.

- I don't even know how to respond to that... - Rhi answered, storming into her cubicle.

Lydia walked in right after her, carrying a handful of papers she laid on the desk.

- Well I have some news, the Robert Downey Jr. thing... it's on. And the next citation for the Client's audience came in this morning.

Rhi's face fell.

- The Client? As in...

-  Yes. - Lydia said, mercilessly. - Paul Julian Banks, November 21st. Most probably the last audience. It's the day before Thanksgiving weekend.

- Oh, that's only if he doesn't appeal, right? This... Wilson... bellend... - Rhi whinged as she shuffled the Downey Jr. papers, not really reading them.

- Rhi are you alright? – Ly asked in a concerned tone.

Rhi sighed and nodded.

- Yes, call Paul... Mr. Banks... whatever. Call him and ask him when he can meet you to prepare the case.

- I already did, but meet me? This case is yours.

- I'm giving it to you.

Ly eyed her suspiciously till Rhi snapped.

- You don't want it? I thought you wanted it... You fancy this man a lot...

- Yes, I want it.

- Good! Take it. I'll prepare everything so you can handle it.

Ly assented and walked out slowly. Rhi took a deep breath. She couldn't do this anymore. This morning, the dream, it was all too much. She needed to stop it. This couldn't go on a second more. Lee had been this close to noticing. Maybe he had. She would not allow it. She was definitely leaving the case. She stood up and walked out.

- I'm really sorry, Ly, darling. I'm not feeling well at all. I think I'll take the day off.

She started walking towards the lift.

- OK, but you're not ill right? I mean... you don't need a doctor?

 - Maybe a shrink. – Rhi called as she pressed the button.

Lydia though it must have been something wedding related. Rhiannon was such a perfectionist and her wedding was a big deal in the city. She wouldn't want to be in her boss's shoes these days.

Rhi took a long thin cigarette from the beautiful Asian-motived metal box she had in her purse. As she looked for her lighter, someone stood in front of her, blocking the sunlight. She looked up, with the fag in her lips.

- Need fire? – He said, clicking a Zippo before her face.

After the initial shock, she inhaled and glared at him, it was just typical that as she tried to hide from something, that something would come to find her. He took off his dark aviators and smiled apologetically, his blue eyes glistening in the daylight. Rhi tried to smile back, but only managed to grimace.

- So Ly told me about the audience... - She started.

Paul grimaced. It was not a coincidence that he was right outside the building when she came out, he had come to talk about his case, since a citation had arrived this morning.

- November. – He said.

-  Yes, the 19th...

-  That's awful timing, as usual. I think I'm going to Europe that week.

- Ly should be able to change it, don't worry. – She whispered, letting out a puff of white chocolate-smelling smoke.

- Ly, not you? – He asked suspiciously.

Rhi frowned. She hadn't had time to come up with a professional justification for giving her assistant the case.

- Well, Lydia is taking care of things while I'm out... I'm ah... - She stuttered. Paul didn't blink as he listened to her with his hands in his pockets. – I'm going to the West Coast for a couple of weeks... to see... some things about umm... the wedding.

Maybe the case would be resolved in this hearing and he would never see her again. This saddened him deeply, but at the same time, seeing her focus on her wedding relieved him of the bad conscience he'd been having since the car incident.

- Oh... - He said, looking down. – I know Lydia is an excellent lawyer. You don't think you'll be back in time for the hearing, right?

She looked down.

- Wouldn't it be best... for both of us, after what happened... if I didn't?

He sighed.

- Rhi, we've talked about this, I told you I would leave you alone...

- Maybe I will came back. - She admitted. - But don't hate me if I don't... this is all VERY hard on me.

Paul nodded. It was hard on him, too, but he was not the type to complain. She was probably right. Maybe having Lydia finish the case was best.

- So I should talk to Lydia about it now? – He inquired, looking up to the tall glass building.

Rhiannon assented.

-  Yes, you can call me if you need anything, anyway. – She answered, in spite of herself. - I know I promised I would take care or you...r case...

-  Thanks, Rhi, I guess I'll try not to bother you, I mean... it's your wedding after all.

She perceived the pain in his voice and felt terrible.

- I think you know this is not just about the wedding. – She put her hand on his shoulder, but withdrew it immediately, when she started feeling weak in the knees again.

He smiled awkwardly. 

- I'll miss you. – He whispered, before leaning down to kiss her cheek and walking into the building.

Rhiannon shuddered, watching him walk in. He turned to see her one last time, with a dark look on his deep, inscrutable eyes. She hoped as much as she feared this would be the last time she saw him.

Maybe she didn't have to lie about going to the West Coast. It was not a completely bad idea to hide away there until she felt... safer.