title; rating: you're in a desert; r
fandom, pairing: count: haven, audrey/duke; ~540
notes: prompt breakfast in bed by
stainofmylove
The thing is, she needs to get out of this town.
She shows up on his boat with her bags packed and tells him to take her as far as he can, as far as he's willing.
Duke's first instinct is to tell her they aren't going anywhere. He's got The Grey Gull, she's got her job at the station, they both have Nathan. But the truth is? He doesn't have Nathan, not anymore. Not after everything. The Grey Gull will get along fine without him, and Audrey doesn't even know who she is anymore. Now that the troubles have all but disappeared, there's really no point anymore.
"I need..." she starts, sees his hesitation. "Look, if you're not going to take me I'll go on my own. I just... I want somebody there with me, in case..."
In case what? In case she reaches the border of Haven and starts to disappear, in case she forgets, in case she remembers.
He gets it.
He understands.
"Audrey," Duke says her name, picks up her bag, slings it over his shoulder. "I got this."
-
She can still see the coastline when they cross the Maine border.
She closes her eyes.
Duke holds her hand.
-
They find port wherever the water carries them.
After the first two weeks, Audrey starts to accept the fact that she's not going anywhere.
Duke pinches her shoulder.
"Ow!" Audrey slaps his hand away.
"See?" he says. "You're still here."
Audrey laughs, and it's the first time she kisses him.
It isn't the last.
-
They sleep late in the mornings, read whatever local paper Duke finds at the nearest bait shop. Sometimes, he cooks, but usually it's pastry and coffee in bed, and then they fuck and sleep some more.
There isn't much to do when you don't have a real job.
"Hey," Duke says, "I have a real job."
He's referring to smuggling, or revenues from The Grey Gull, or keeping their vessel afloat whenever they're actually in open water. And, okay, he's got a point, but it doesn't stop Audrey from rolling her eyes.
"I mean me," she placates him. "Being a cop, an agent... it's literally the only thing I knew how to do."
He comes up behind her, an arm wrapped around her middle, his lips at her neck.
"Now..." she says. "I don't know. It's like I'm lost, Duke."
He grins, touches his nose to her ear.
"You're not lost, Parker," he says. "You're right here. With me."
-
One Friday night they find a cache of old DVDs from a shipment that never got paid for. Duke puts in Blade Runner and Audrey starts crying well before the end and doesn't stop until Duke turns off the TV and wraps her in his arms.
How can it not know what it is?
How can she not know who she is?
-
The next morning, Duke brings her coffee in bed, a donut from the shop, their morning ritual, a reminder of who she is, who they are.
Audrey takes a bite of sweet chocolate, kisses Duke on the lips.
"You okay?" he asks, later.
Audrey pulls the covers higher, curls into him a little closer.
"I'm fine," she says. "I'm with you."
-fin
fandom, pairing: count: haven, audrey/duke; ~540
notes: prompt breakfast in bed by
The thing is, she needs to get out of this town.
She shows up on his boat with her bags packed and tells him to take her as far as he can, as far as he's willing.
Duke's first instinct is to tell her they aren't going anywhere. He's got The Grey Gull, she's got her job at the station, they both have Nathan. But the truth is? He doesn't have Nathan, not anymore. Not after everything. The Grey Gull will get along fine without him, and Audrey doesn't even know who she is anymore. Now that the troubles have all but disappeared, there's really no point anymore.
"I need..." she starts, sees his hesitation. "Look, if you're not going to take me I'll go on my own. I just... I want somebody there with me, in case..."
In case what? In case she reaches the border of Haven and starts to disappear, in case she forgets, in case she remembers.
He gets it.
He understands.
"Audrey," Duke says her name, picks up her bag, slings it over his shoulder. "I got this."
-
She can still see the coastline when they cross the Maine border.
She closes her eyes.
Duke holds her hand.
-
They find port wherever the water carries them.
After the first two weeks, Audrey starts to accept the fact that she's not going anywhere.
Duke pinches her shoulder.
"Ow!" Audrey slaps his hand away.
"See?" he says. "You're still here."
Audrey laughs, and it's the first time she kisses him.
It isn't the last.
-
They sleep late in the mornings, read whatever local paper Duke finds at the nearest bait shop. Sometimes, he cooks, but usually it's pastry and coffee in bed, and then they fuck and sleep some more.
There isn't much to do when you don't have a real job.
"Hey," Duke says, "I have a real job."
He's referring to smuggling, or revenues from The Grey Gull, or keeping their vessel afloat whenever they're actually in open water. And, okay, he's got a point, but it doesn't stop Audrey from rolling her eyes.
"I mean me," she placates him. "Being a cop, an agent... it's literally the only thing I knew how to do."
He comes up behind her, an arm wrapped around her middle, his lips at her neck.
"Now..." she says. "I don't know. It's like I'm lost, Duke."
He grins, touches his nose to her ear.
"You're not lost, Parker," he says. "You're right here. With me."
-
One Friday night they find a cache of old DVDs from a shipment that never got paid for. Duke puts in Blade Runner and Audrey starts crying well before the end and doesn't stop until Duke turns off the TV and wraps her in his arms.
How can it not know what it is?
How can she not know who she is?
-
The next morning, Duke brings her coffee in bed, a donut from the shop, their morning ritual, a reminder of who she is, who they are.
Audrey takes a bite of sweet chocolate, kisses Duke on the lips.
"You okay?" he asks, later.
Audrey pulls the covers higher, curls into him a little closer.
"I'm fine," she says. "I'm with you."
-fin
no subject
Date: 2012-08-20 01:49 am (UTC)This is so awesome, thank you <3 I think you get into Audrey's issues so easily and succinctly; it's rather stunning. Plus Blade Runner references are always a big win, lol.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-20 09:22 pm (UTC)You're welcome! The Blade Runner thing kind of came out of nowhere by the way, haha. Glad it worked!