Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Will opens his apartment door and beams at Frankie.

“Hey, I was beginning to get worried. What took you so long?”

“Ugh. Don't ask. The pizza took forever.” She deposits the large pizza box into his awaiting hands while he stands aside to let her in. Will walks over towards the kitchen island while Frankie takes off her coat and throws it over a chair.

“You didn't order pineapple again, did you?” He lifts the lid only to close it again a heartbeat later and shoot her a dark look.

Frankie shrugs. “Relax, it's only on my half.”

“You know the taste spreads over the whole pizza.”

“Well, next time you can go get it and freeze your ass off in the process.”

“Fine.” Will can see her rubbing her hands together. “Do you want me to start a fire?”

“No, it's fine. Can I borrow one of your sweaters?”

“Are you going to keep it again?”

“Yes.”

“Then no.”

Frankie walks backwards into the direction of his bedroom. “What?” She holds a hand up to her ear, pretending not to hear him.

Will rolls his eyes and starts to get plates out of the cupboard.

“Hey! Where’s my sweatshirt?” Frankie calls from the bedroom.

Will can’t help but smile to himself. “Which one of my sweatshirts is your sweatshirt?” He calls back.

“The blue one with the hole in the right cuff!”

He rolls his eyes. “First drawer!”

“Found it!”

Will shakes his head and sets the pizza down on the coffee table. Next, he walks over into the kitchen and choses a red wine from the shelve. He’s just opening the bottle when Frankie comes back into the living area.

“This smells differently.” She holds the collar of his sweater up to her nose and takes a deep breath.

“It’s my new fabric softener. It got a really great review in -”

“Ugh, stop.” She holds up her hands and starts to roll back the sleeves. “I don’t care about what you read in Housewives Weekly.”

Will can see her roll her eyes but by now he’s 90% sure that she does so with affection.

“What are we watching?” She asks as she walks towards him.

“Casablanca.”

“No. No way.”

He looks up at her sharp tone and sees her shaking her head. And opposed to a moment ago, when she was teasing him about fabric softener, she is serious.

“Hey, you lost your veto, remember?! I won the bet. My choice.” He reminds her.

Frankie groans and Will tilts his head. This wasn't her usual level of contempt for whatever movie he chose. That usually involved a lengthy and rather entertaining rant before she reluctantly settled onto his couch. But the way she lost her teasing half smile, his second favourite of her smiles, and moves around his apartment with a frown on her face makes him wonder if watching Casablanca is a mistake.

She doesn’t say anything though as she wordlessly gets two wine glasses out of the cabinet and puts them down next to him on the counter.

“Thanks. Can you get the-“

Frankie already has the drawer next to the fridge open and holds up the paper napkins. “Got them.”

Will smiles and pours the wine. “I think we're good to go.”

::

Frankie sinks further and further into the couch cushions as the movie goes on. With Will in one corner she uses the rest of the space to make herself comfortable until she is settled against his shoulder.

Still, she wriggles around uncomfortably.

“What are you doing?”

“There's something digging into my back...,” She trails off and instead reaches for the small of her back. After a little manoeuvring she pulls a knife from under her belt and triumphantly holds it up for him to see. She lets it fall onto the coffee table and leans back against him with a relaxed sigh.

“That's better.”

Will is still eyeing the knife. “What's that for?”

“You know... In case I need to defend myself.”

“You mean your charming demeanour isn't enough?”

Frankie gently punches his ribs beneath her head.

“Ow, fine, I take it back.” Will catches her fist in his hand before she can do any real damage. He strokes over her knuckles before he lets go. She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t pull away either.

::

The combination of pizza, wine, warmth, and a really old and slow-going movie makes Frankie drowsy to the point where she drifts off. Will tries his best to stay still, but after ten minutes his arm is falling asleep. He gently pulls it out from under Frankie, careful not to jostle her, but she wakes up anyway.

“What are you doing?” She sleepily lifts her head.

“It's okay. My arm fell asleep.” He turns his upper body in her direction and pulls on her shoulders so that her head rests more against his chest instead of his arm. When she actually stays that way, Will puts his tingling arm up on the back of the couch.

Frankie sighs.

Will casts an alternating look between the screen and the top of her head. He can’t see her face, but from her breathing he gathers that she’s awake.

“This was my Mom’s favourite movie. We used to watch this whenever my Dad was away on a trip.” Her voice is so faint, Will almost misses it.

“Have you watched it since then?” He kept his voice equally calm.

“No. This is the first time.”

Will lowers his arm down from the back of the couch, letting it rest along her own and over her abdomen.

On the screen Ilsa is just explaining to Rick why she had to leave him behind in Paris.

Will's thumb moves back and forth over her stomach where his hand has come to rest. If Frankie notices, she doesn’t say anything.

She doesn’t break his hand either so Will counts it as a win.

::

He startles awake at the sound of his bedroom door opening. He sits up instantly, drawing his weapon with one hand and turning on his bedside lamp with the other. But instead of the hostile force he instinctively tried to fend off, he sees Frankie shuffling into his bedroom, shielding her eyes from the sudden light.

Will falls back into his sheets. “Fuck. Frankie. I could have shot you.”

Her eyes are barely open.

“No, you couldn't. And put that out, will you.”

Will does as he is told. He puts his gun back onto his bedside table and turns off the light. Frankie meanwhile closes the door behind her and stumbles over towards the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“Your couch is not made for sleeping.”

She expectantly stands in front of him.

“Move.” She pokes his side.

“What?” He blinks at her on confusion.

“You're on my side.”

“This is my side.”

“Not, it's not.”

“This is my bed. Every side is my side.” Will grumbles but shuffles over.

Frankie sits down on the edge of the mattress and slips under the covers.

“This side is cold.” Will complains.

“Want me to keep you warm?” He knows there’s a teasing smile on her face just from the tone of voice.

“Not if you’re being mean about it.”

Frankie chuckles. Her hand bridges the gap between them and pulls on his arm. “C’mere,” she murmurs.

Will shuffles back over in her direction and lifts his arm so Frankie can nestle down against him.

“Better?” She murmurs against his neck.

Will loves that they instinctively found the same position to sleep in as they have on a number of missions now. He likes that he can smell her hair which somehow always smells faintly of lavender. And he likes the way her hand sneaks beneath his shirt at his back and her fingers gently stroke over his spine. As if she wasn’t even aware of it. He also knows that he probably shouldn’t mention that to Frankie. Definitely not.

“Meh. It’s okay.” He breathes into her hair.

Frankie smiles into his neck while her fingers beneath his shirt pinch his skin.

“Ow.”

“Want me to leave?”

“No.” His arm tightens around her.

::

Will wakes with a start. He lifts his head to check out the bedroom and listens intently for any noises coming from the bathroom or kitchen. He doesn’t need to. He lets himself fall back into the pillows and sighs.

Frankie is gone.

Chapter Text

Susan carefully opens the door to the Dead Drop and takes a few cautious steps inside. When she doesn’t immediately spot anything out of the ordinary, she frowns, steps further into the room and sets her purse down on the bar. She gets her phone out and checks her messages once again.

Jai, 11:16 am: Dead Drop. ASAP.

Standish, 11:21 am: 911@DD!!! Need rescue!!!

“Hello? Guys?” She tentatively calls into the bar.

“Susan?”

Susan whips around, a hand to her chest. “Frankie!” She looks up, to where Frankie just stuck her head down from the upstairs office. “What are you doing here?”

“Standish wanted to spar-“ Susan’s eyebrows raise at that and a creeping suspicion makes itself known at the back of her mind- “I just took a quick shower.”

“Where is Standish?” Susan asks while Frankie comes down the stairs. Her hair is still damp and there’s a towel wrapped around her shoulders.

“Don’t know. Probably nursing his feelings in Jai’s man cave.” Frankie rolls her eyes.

“Is Jai here too?” Susan wants to know, hoping to sound as inconspicuous as possible.

Frankie narrows her eyes at her but if she suspects anything, she lets it go, clearly too annoyed herself. “Yes! He threw me out of the lair! Can you believe that?”

Susan sends her a sympathetic look. That feeling in the back of her mind takes more and more shape. “I’ll just go and see what’s up with them. You okay?”

Frankie tilts her head. “Are you asking me if I’ll be fine on my own? In our bar? While you’re just in the next room?”

Susan forces a smile on her lips. “I’ll just take that as a ‘yes’.”

Frankie rolls her eyes which is enough confirmation for Susan. She leaves her friend by the bar and makes her way through the back hallway and into the men’s restroom. Once there she tries to activate the hidden mechanism to enter the lair.

Nothing happens.

She tries again.

“Jai? It’s me, Susan,” she calls against the mirror, when it still doesn’t work. The only response she gets is a faint mechanical whirring. She activates the switch again and the sink starts to move.

Once the wall has fully turned, she steps away from the sink and into the man cave. Jai is bent over his workstation while Standish is leaning against the shelve on the side and pressing an ice pack against his jaw.

“Thank God, you’re here!” The later exclaims.

“Yes,” Jai agrees. He puts down whatever he was working on and steps away from his desk.

“What the hell is going on here? Where’s the emergency?”

Standish takes the ice pack away from his jaw and Susan can see a dark bruise forming. The same with his cheekbone. “Frankie is going on! I’ve had it with her! You need to take care of her!”

“Excuse me?”

“No,” Jai disagrees. “You need to call Ray.”

Standish looks at his friend with a confused expression. “Ray? What do we need Ray for? Frankie eats guys like him for breakfast,” he argues.

“We don’t need Ray for Frankie, we need him to get Will back.”

“What? Why?” Standish asks.

“What do you mean why? You’re-“

“That’s enough!” Susan interrupts their bickering. “What is happening here?”

“Frankie is going mad!”

“We need Will back!” Standish and Jai say at the same time.

Susan lifts her forefinger and both Jai and Standish fall silent.  “One after the other.” She points at Standish. “You first.”

“Frankie is out of control! She’s mean! We sparred and she went full ninja on me! She can’t go full ninja on me, she knows that!” He points to the bruises on the left side of his face.

Susan winces but doesn’t say anything. Instead she turns towards Jai.

“I agree that she did use excessive force on him. And then she came in here and touched my stuff. I can’t have that.”

“What do you expect me to do?”

“Take care of her. Or call Ray so he can put a stop to whatever inane mission Will is on.”

Susan’s eyes widen and her forefinger comes back up. “No. Nonononono. This is my first free weekend in months. I have it all planned out.” She starts counting off her fingers. “Coffee at my favourite coffee place, a spa day and then a nice bottle of red while I enjoy a hot bath with my man.”

Standish shakes his head and squinches his eyes. “TMI.”

“Agreed. Please don’t ever tell me that again.” Jai adds.

“I don’t care. Because does my face look like it enjoyed Ayesha’s magical face treatment? No, it doesn’t. Because you two can’t even manage one day without me!” Susan argues back.

“I had nothing to do with this.” Jai points at Standish. “All I wanted was for all of you to be anywhere but here so I could finally test my new alarm system for the bar. Today is his turn.”

Standish just shrugs in response. “Come on. We all knew this was never going to work. I can’t handle Frankie on my own.”

“I had faith in you.” Jai tries to make his point.

Standish turns back towards Susan. “Why don’t you just take Frankie with you to the spa? Make it a girl’s day.”

Susan’s look darkens. “Please. Have you ever been to a spa with Frankie?!”

“Noooo?!”

“That girl cannot relax.”

Both Jai and Standish look at her.

“You’re kidding me, right?”

::

Susan takes a fortifying breath and knocks. It takes a moment, but then the apartment door in front of her opens with a swing.

“Hey, girl.”

“Heyho.” Frankie replies.

“You just left.” Susan points out.

Frankie just shrugs. “No reason to stay seemed like a good reason to go.”

Susan peers over Frankie’s shoulder into the apartment beyond. “And you came here?”

Frankie finally lets go of the door, turns and walks towards the kitchen area. It’s the only invitation Susan’s going to get and she takes it, closing the door to Will’s apartment behind her.

“Had to feed Arthur.”

“Arthur?” Susan frowns.

Frankie gestures at the kitchen island and Susan’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Arthur, I presume?”

“Yep.” Frankie walks around the kitchen island. She opens the cupboard under the sink and fetches a colourful plastic can.

“Since when does Will have a goldfish?” Susan walks up to the glass bowl and watches its occupant curiously.

Frankie just shrugs as she uncaps the fish feed and sprinkles a few flakes onto the water’s surface. “Don’t know. He just asked me to take care of him while he’s gone.”

“And you’ve been doing that every day?”

“I guess.” Frankie puts the can back into the cupboard before she turns back to watch Arthur eat his food. Susan watches her every move.

“Are you okay?”

Frankie’s eyes widen as the meet Susan’s. “What are you talking about? I’m fine.”

“Then why did you leave the Dead Drop like that?”

Frankie rolls her eyes. “Jai has been quiet and stand off-ish for days which means he’s preoccupied with one of his pet projects. You’ve been talking about your spa day the whole week and I don’t even want to know what Standish is up to in his free time. I know you all think you have to take care of me, but I’m fine.”

“It’s okay to miss him, you know.”

“Oh my God, I don’t miss him!”

“You brought me a vanilla Chai latte when we met with Ray the other day!”

“Do you know how long it takes to stand in line at this stupid coffee place? I was basically comatose by then and acted on reflex.”

“And your reflex was Will’s favourite coffee order?”

Frankie grits her teeth, apparently unwilling to say anything else.

“Look, I get it. I miss him, too. He’s a big part of this team.”

Frankie crosses her arms over her chest.

“Frankie. It’s just me. I’m not out to get you,” Susan tries to reassure her. Her calm tone seems to do the trick. At least partially. Frankie uncrosses her arms and takes a deep breath.

“I just… didn’t expect this,” she confesses.

“You didn’t expect that you’d miss him?” Susan clarifies.

Frankie’s eyes widen in alarm. “You know Jai has this whole place bugged, right? He’s going to use all this as leverage one day.”

Susan shrugs. “Let him.”

“Yes, I didn’t expect that and… that he’d be gone for so long. I mean it’s been three weeks. And since somebody won’t let me torture Ray for information, we have no idea what’s going on.”

“Aw, honey. You’re worried about him.” Frankie shoots her a dark look which Susan promptly ignores. “You have no idea how happy this makes me.”

Frankie paces a few steps on her side of the kitchen islands before she stops and puts her hands on the counter. “These undercover missions can really mess with your head,” she adds.

Susan reaches across the island and puts her hands on top of Frankie’s. “This is Will. He’s been on plenty of missions since I’ve known him and none of them have changed who he is. And neither will this one.”

Frankie closes her eyes for a moment. Susan squeezes her hands, then lets go.

“I mean, he bought a goldfish so you would spend time here. I think it’s safe to say that it’s going to be fine. And you and him will be fine too.”

“Don’t you have a spa day to get to?”

“Are you kidding me? I can go to the spa any time I want. But I know for a fact that Will is hiding a 2009 bottle of Gran Reserva Especial that has our names on it!”

Frankie can’t help but laugh with her.

Chapter Text

Susan and Will follow the bellboy out of the elevator and down the carpeted hallway until they reach 316. He draws the key card through the lock and upon opening the door, Will gestures for Susan to enter first.

“Thank you,” Will says as he steps into the spacious suite.

“No problem, Mr. Williamson,” the bellboy replies with a bright smile. He hands the key card over to Will, who in exchange presents him with a few bank notes. “Have a great stay.”

Susan turns from where she took in the view from the window as soon as she hears the door close and her and Will’s eyes meet. They wordlessly take out their cell phones and start sweeping the room.

“Clear,” Susan calls out a few minutes later.

“Bathroom, too,” Will replies as he steps back into the main room. “And you should see that bathtub. Amazing!”

“Really? Should I leave you alone, so you can have some me time in there?”

“See? You already have the considerate wife part down,” Will jokes. He walks over towards the thermostat and starts fiddling with the controls.

“Everything okay?” Susan asks.

“Hm?” Will turns as if caught. “Oh, yeah. Sorry. Frankie usually prefers the AC off.”

Susan narrows her eyes at him.

“Just habit, I guess,” Will admits.

Susan watches him as he returns the settings to default, then grabs his carry-on suitcase from next to the door and turns towards the bed. “Which side do you want?”

“Which side does Frankie prefer?”

“The right one,” Will easily answers.

Susan just smirks at him.

“Okay, you’re mocking me. Fine. You know what, I don’t care which side you prefer, I’m just going to take my favourite side.” He walks over towards the bed and lifts his suitcase onto the left side of the mattress.

“Oh, I wanted that side,” Susan whines.

Will just shakes his head, not falling for it a second time. Susan laughs, walks over towards the couch and lets herself flop down on the cushions. She kicks off her heels with a satisfied sigh.

“I could definitely get used to this part of missions. Luxurious hotels are definitely a perk.”

“How much time do we have before the party starts?” Will asks as he starts to unpack.

“Thinking about the tub?” Susan smirks at him.

“Oh, definitely. And the hotel sauna.” Will points out with a smile.

Susan glances at the watch on her wrist. “I’m afraid the sauna has to wait. We have just enough time to meet with Jai to get set up and then check out Morgan’s suite.”

Will nods affirmatively. Susan watches as he hangs up his suit. Next, he grabs his toiletry bag and a hooded sweatshirt he deposits on the other side of the bed on his way to the bathroom.  Susan walks over towards the bed, picks it up and frowns.

When Will returns from the bathroom -sans toiletries- she holds it up for him to see.

“What’s this?”

“Hm?” He seems lost in his own thoughts.

“What do you want me to do with this?”

“Oh.” Will grabs the hoodie out of her hands. “Sorry. Must have packed that on reflex.”

“Let me guess: Frankie’s?”

He looks down at the hoodie, caressing the fabric between his fingers. “Yeah. She’s always cold in hotel rooms and never packs one for herself.”

Susan just shakes her head. “I don’t believe this.” Then she strides past him, slips back into her heels, and makes her way towards the suite door.

“What?” Will calls after her.

“I’ll go meet Jai.” She calls over her shoulder.

“Susan!”

::

Will spins Susan around on the dance floor, the hem of her red dress twirling neatly around her. The party is in full swing around them and the volume of the jazz band, together with the number of dancing couples around them, give them enough cover to talk freely.

“Target spotted. Six o’clock,” Will murmurs into her ear, as much for her benefit as for their team’s.

“What’s the plan?”

Susan lets herself be led over the dance floor until they’re coming to stand a few feet away from their target. They take champagne flutes from a passing waiter. Will’s hand never leaves her back.

“He’s here with his wife. We’ll try to make friends,” Will decides in a hushed tone.

Susan laughs as if he just said something particularly funny, pretending to be tipsy from the first-class champagne neither of them actually drinks.

A waiter stops in front of them with the hors d'œuvre.

“Oh, honey, you have to try these,” Will exclaims a little louder, already playing up his overly friendly character.

“Oh my god, this thing still has legs. Wait, are those tentacles?” Standish makes a disgusted noise in their ears.

Will swallows the grilled baby octopus and leans towards Susan. “Don’t worry, I’ll buy you a burger after we’re done here,” he mutters under his breath.

“What are you talking about, this is delicious,” Susan frowns at him.

Will blinks, then smiles at her.

::

After an hour of surrounding themselves with various guests and making small talk with just about anyone, they’re nowhere near their target.

“I could still bust the wife in the bathroom,” Susan suggests as they regroup at the bar.

“We’ll keep that as an option, okay?” Will grimaces. “And we’ll talk about what kind of company you keep that you even get ideas like that.”

Susan smiles at him, knowing exactly whom he talks about. “Jealous?”

“No.” He doesn’t sound as convincing as he wants to.

“Susan is correct,” Jai pipes in. “We need a new plan. Watching you two pretend to be a couple is just....”

“It’s wrong,” Standish weighs in.

“So wrong.”

“What? Come on, guys, I’m great at the couple shtick,” Will points out.

“Yes. With Frankie.”

“With any woman. Or man! I could definitely pull that off.”

“No,” Jai protests.

“No?”

“No way, bro. Watching you and Frankie sometimes makes me want to vomit, but most of the time it’s like watching a rom-com. Annoying, but completely adorable. But watching you with Susan is just... painful, man.”

“Just wait until I tell Frankie you called her adorable.”

“Please don’t.”

“Fine,” Susan forcefully interrupts her bickering team mates. “What do we do? Because I’m not kissing him to sell this.”

Will shoots her a hurt look. “What? What’s wrong with kissing me?” He hisses.

Susan crosses her arms in front of her. “Not doing it.”

“It’s not like we haven’t kissed before!”

Susan’s eyes widen a second before Will realises what he just revealed.

“Excuse me?”

“Does Frankie know that…? ‘Cause I’d love to watch that conversation.”

“It was a party at Quantico, we were drunk, and we made out. That’s it. End of discussion.” Susan says. Her tone doesn’t allow any arguments. She shoots Will a look, daring him to say anything else on the matter.

“Did you do the nasty?”

“Eew, Standish! No!” Susan hisses.

“Hey! I’m standing right here! Can you sound any more disgusted by the idea?” Will asks.

“Sorry.” Susan sends him a sheepish smile that makes Will shake his head in disbelief. “You got all emotional on me, it was a real turn-off.”

“Yeah, he does that.”

“Okay,” Will says a little louder than necessary. “Let’s focus. We already set the stage as a married couple.”

“No one says it has to be a happy marriage,” Jai points out.

Will meets Susan’s gaze. “What do you think? A couple stuck in a loveless marriage?”

“Ooh, a marriage of convenience. You need my social standing, I need your money.” Her eyes widen in excitement.

“We tried to make it work, but by now we’re barely tolerating each other. Neither of us can afford a divorce,” Will adds.

Susan grins. “I love passive-aggressive.”

“We need to find comfort somewhere. Pool boy? Secretary?”

“The pool boy? Honey, please. I have more class than that.”

“Tennis trainer?”

“Pilates instructor. You should see the one Frankie and I go to. He’s delicioso.”

“You go to Pilates together?”

::

They change plans and it works.

Until it doesn’t and they find themselves cowering behind a turned over table in the hotel’s cigar lounge.

Will surges upwards and fires until he runs out of bullets, then he drops back down. Susan is right next to him.

“I think I hit the wife, not sure though.” He’s slightly out of breath.

“Good thing Susan didn’t go after her in the ladies’ room. That woman got mad skills!”

“Thanks, Standish,” Susan grits out, then ducks as bullets hit the table they’re hiding behind.

Will holds out his hand. “I’ve run out.”

Susan looks down at his hand and back up at his face with wide eyes. “So?”

“Give me your spare clip!”

“I don’t have a spare clip!”

“What do you mean you-“ Will stops himself from saying anything else and dares a peek around the edge of the tabletop. He turns around to face her. “What about a knife?”

“Do you see this dress? I didn’t bring a knife!” Susan hisses.

Will closes his eyes in defeat. “Guys, I think we’re stuck,” he admits. “We’re sitting ducks here.”

“Working on it,” Standish replies.

Will’s eyes meet Susan’s to check where her head is at. If worse comes to worst and Standish doesn’t come through soon, they’re going to have to make a run for it. Just then a bullet whizzes over his head, a little close for his comfort and Will groans in frustration.

“Why are you making weird sounds? Are you hurt? Susan, is he hurt?” Comes Jai’s agitated voice.

“What? No, I’m fine,” Will whispers.

“Good. Stay that way.”

“Are you worried about me? That’s so sweet of you, Jai.”

“I’m worried about myself if I don’t return you in mint condition.”

::

Susan walks up to Will in the airport waiting area. When he doesn’t immediately look up from his phone, she gently nudges his thigh with her knee.

“Oh.” He looks up guiltily and immediately takes the coffee she’s offering him. “Thanks, I can really use one right now.”

Susan just smiles and drops down next to him.

“How is Frankie?” She nods at the phone in his hand.

Will can’t help but smile. “She’s fine. She just texted me a string of angry emojis and told me to stop bothering her.”

Susan narrows he eyes at him. “And that’s… good?”

Will’s smile widens. “Yes.” He takes a sip from his coffee and winces when he almost burns his tongue. “Listen, about what happened these last two days…”

Susan lays a hand on his arm to stop him from talking. “It’s okay, Will. I know you miss her.”

“What? No! I mean… miss Frankie? Why would I miss the constant threats against my life? No. No, definitely not.”

Susan leans back into her seat. “On a scale from very to immensely, how much do you miss her?”

“So damn much,” Will admits and shakes his head, as if he can’t believe it himself.

“Hey.” Susan waits until he looks at her. “That’s not a bad thing. I miss Ray, too.”

“That’s not the same. You and Ray are in a relationship.”

“Are you telling me you’re not?”

“Did you think we were?”

“Honestly, yes!” Susan says a little too loudly.

“Why would you think that? I mean if we were, don’t you think you’d be the first to know?”

“But… what about the constant text messages? The longing looks, every time you forgot that she wasn’t actually with you on this mission? What about her toothbrush?”

“Her toothbrush?”

“I used your bathroom before we left! I saw her toothbrush on your counter!”

Will lets out a big breath and closes his eyes for a moment. “That’s just… there in case she needs it.”

Susan shakes her head. “How are y’all not sleeping together?”

“What? You know why!”

She takes a deep breath. “Will, I love you with all my heart.”

His eyes light up. “Yeah?”

Susan rolls her eyes at him. “Yes. But I can’t deal with you right now because you’re stupid.”

Chapter Text

Frankie stumbles into the dark hallway, a hand against the wall to keep her balance.

“Tribune, what’s going on? You’re blowing this.”

Not for the first time tonight, Frankie can’t help but think that the voice in her ear is just wrong. Her ears start ringing. She takes her ear-piece out and lets it fall to the floor. She staggers against the wall and stops, desperately trying to stay on her feet. She tries to use her hands against the cold wall to ground herself.

That’s what she’d read, wasn’t it? That she should ground herself.

The cold she’d started to feel in her centre mere minutes ago spreads through her body and causes her breath to quicken. Frankie claws at her throat, tries to remove a collar or scarf that isn’t there.

Grounding. Right.

She tries to get her thoughts in order. Focus on anything but this feeling of dread that is taking over her whole body.

The mission.

Fuck the mission.

She knew she’d hate it right from the moment things started rolling.

::

“Johanson is late.”

Frankie sighs at the voice in her ear before she turns away from her companion. She glances across the room, scanning the crowd for their target. Jai, undercover as a barkeeper, sets a drink down next to her elbow.

“Seeing something you like, Ma’am?”

Frankie half-turns and takes the drink. Whiskey. Single barrel. She downs it in one go.

Peter is sophisticated and smart enough to engage Susan in flirtatious banter and enough into team sports that Ray is not even mad about it. He knows enough about technology to geek out with Jai and promised Standish to play Fortnite with him as soon as this mission was over. He fit perfectly into their team.

Frankie can’t stand him.

“Tell me, where you this tense on the first mission with your last partner?” He murmurs into her ear and his breath ghosts over her neck.

She’s not blind. She can appreciate his looks, tall, dark, and handsome, and at some other point in time she would have gladly fucked him. But that was before she had a team. A team he was trying to insinuate himself into.

She looks up and meets his eyes. Dark brown.

“No actually. I handcuffed him to a bar, stole his mark and later locked him in my trunk.”

“Feel free to handcuff me anytime you like,” he says with a smirk.

“And by the time we reached the border they were married. While I was still in that damn trunk!” Standish thankfully pipes up. She doesn’t know what she’d have done otherwise.

::

Frankie thinks she can hear someone coming her way. She can’t be sure though, her ears are still ringing. She tries to move herself into a more defensible position, but the wall at her back is holding most of her weight by now.

“Frankie!” Someone hisses.

She manages to lift her head and recognizes Jai through the spots dancing in front of her eyes.

“What the hell are you doing? You left Peter completely blind back there!”

She wants to answer, but her mouth is completely dry. “Not doing… anything,” she manages after swallowing.

“What happened to your ear-piece?” Jai asks as he spots it lying on the ground.

Frankie shrugs. She sways even leaning against the wall and decides that sitting might be in her best interest. Thankfully, her legs don’t give out under her as she slowly slides down the wall.

“Frankie! What’s going on?” Jai seems to notice her rapid breathing and judging by the way his eyes flit over her face he doesn’t miss the sweat forming on her forehead. He crouches down in front of her, his hand gripping her upper arm. “Are you hurt?”

Frankie shakes her head. Jai’s eyes roam over her body. She has her hands pressed against the floor but she’s sure he notices the way they still tremble slightly.

“Are you-“ he leans back from her- “are you having a panic attack”?

“No.” Her voice sounds strangled.

“Because it looks like you’re having a panic attack.”

“It’s not.”

“See, I would love to believe you, but-“

Frankie grabs his arm and gives him a hard look. “Jai.”

He nods and takes a deep breath. With a last look at her he gets up, takes a few steps away and murmurs something into the mic at his lapel. Next, he takes out his ear-piece, collects hers from the floor and puts them both into his jacket pocket. Then he turns back towards her.

“What do you need?” he asks matter-of-factly.

Frankie looks at him with pleading eyes. “The mission. You have to make the drop.”

“Peter’s got that covered.” He checks up and down the corridor, but they’re alone. He looks down on where she is huddling against the wall. “Tell me how to help you.”

Frankie shakes her head. “The drop off.”

“I told you, the others will handle it.”

“Just leave me here, I’ll be fine.”

“Unacceptable.”

Frankie draws in a sharp breath and winds her arms around her knees. She’s cold, despite the sweat covering her body.

Jai’s analytical mind tries to work through this. “Has this happened before?”

Frankie’s breath quickens and although she’d like to shake her head, she can’t bring herself to lie to Jai. He in turn notices her rapid breathing.

“Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” she grits between her teeth.

“Fine.” He doesn’t sound fine. “Has this happened before?”

Frankie reluctantly nods her head.

“Then tell me what to do. What do you need?”

Frankie closes her eyes and draws her knees even closer. She’s freezing.

“Frankie.” His harsh tone makes her open her eyes and look at him. Jai notices her wide and dare he say fearful look and forces himself to calm down. He takes deep breath and hunkers down in front of her, trying to make himself appear as harmless as possible. “It’s me, okay? Please let me help you.”

Frankie’s eyes burn and she blinks rapidly to clear her suddenly teary vision. “Will,” she murmurs eventually.

“What?” Jai asks, just to be sure that he heard her correctly.

Her eyes meet his. “I need Will.”

“He's not here.”

The weight on her chest increases. Frankie is sure Jai can hear her rapid heartbeat right through her ribs.

“I want Will,” she breathes.

“Frankie...” Jai’s heart breaks for his friend. He leans further into her space, as far as he dares right now, and waits until she meets his gaze. “Tell me what to do.”

Her eyes widen in frustration.

“Show me what to do,” Jai says instead.

Frankie takes a staggering breath and nods. Her arms loosen their grip around her knees and instead she pulls on his arms until he is kneeling in front of her. Then she takes his hands, turns them and brings his palms against her head so that he’s cradling her face. He seems to understand where this is going. When her hands pull on his lapels to bring him closer, he is already moving towards her until their foreheads meet.

Frankie closes her eyes and takes a shaky breath.

“Francesca.” He murmurs, his tone low.

It’s the right thing to say. The sound that escapes her sounds almost like a sob.

::

Afterwards, they’re both sitting with their backs against the wall. Jai’s suit jacket is draped across her shoulders and Frankie is leaning against him.

“Jai,” she whispers.

“No.” He resolutely looks ahead.

“Jai,” Franke tries again.

“Later.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m angry at you and might need to yell at you and I can’t do that right now,” he says calmly.

“Jai.”

“I told you. Later.”

Frankie ignores him. “Thank you,” she whispers into his shoulder.

He sighs. “You’re welcome.”

::

Frankie doesn’t know what Jai told the others, but so far no one has asked her what happened or where the two of them had been for almost an hour between the time their target had made them and the time they had met at the rendezvous point.

Frankie knows that this peace can’t last long. Not with a team like theirs and the way Susan has been sending her looks all through the debrief.

But it’s Jai who seeks her out in the upstairs office as she types up her report. Apparently, it’s later.

“How often has this happened?” He asks as soon as the door is closed behind him.

Frankie saves her report and closes the notebook in front of her. Her fingers start fiddling with the necklace around her neck.

“Don’t know.” She shrugs. “Not often.”

“Be more precise.”

She takes a deep breath. “Four or five times.”

“Since when?”

“Since Ollerman stabbed Standish.”

Jai seems to mull that over for a moment.

“Have you talked to Susan about it?”

Frankie shakes her head. “No.”

“She might be able to help you,” Jai points out.

“She might be compelled to put it in her regular psych evaluations in which case I’d be screwed.”

“You had a panic attack in the middle of a mission. That cannot happen. It’s a liability. You are a liability. In which case we’re all screwed!”

Frankie’s face heats up. “We’ve had it under control.”

Jai cocks his head at that. “We?”

Frankie closes her eyes. She shouldn’t have said that. “Look, I’ll talk to Susan about it, okay?”

“You’ll talk to Susan tomorrow.”

“Fine.” Frankie grits her teeth. “Tomorrow.”

Jai nods once before he turns and heads for the door.

“Jai, Frankie calls out.

Jai stops and turns around. Frankie gets up from behind the desk and walks a few steps in his direction. “Do you know where he is?”

Jai buries his hands in his pockets. “How would I know? His mission is classified.”

“Do I have to remind you of the micro trackers at Paul’s French wedding?” Frankie prompts. “200 people, Jai.”

“He left very suddenly. I didn’t have a chance to employ my usual methods.”

Frankie takes a deep breath. No sense holding back now. “Jai. Please.”

It seems to do the trick as the features on his face soften. He shrugs. “He’s not wearing his watch, or his favourite belt and he left his phone here in New York. Which I suspect you already know, seeing as you-“

“Jai,” Frankie interrupts him, “do you know where he is?”

“Yes.”

“Is he-“ she swallows- “is he okay?”

Jai knows that she wants to ask so much more. And he knows that she won’t. Despite everything she would never put him in a position where he had to reveal classified information. Although for her, he would. She probably knows that too.

“He’s alive.” He offers instead.

Chapter Text

Will, 8:20 pm: Where’s a threat against national security when you need one?!

Frankie, 8:26 pm: It’s been what? An hour? How bad can it be?

Will, 8:27 pm: BAD!

Will, 8:27 pm: I’m too old for shots.

Frankie, 8:30 pm: Told you.

Will, 8:30 pm: 😒

Frankie, 8:32 pm: So is Ray, if it’s any consolation. I don’t get why anyone getting married over forty needs a bachelor party.

Will, 8:35 pm: Why are you not complaining? You’ve been dreading this evening for weeks.

Frankie, 8:42 pm: Took Jai’s advice.

Will, 8:43 pm: Which is...?

Frankie, 8:44 pm: Treat it like a mission.

Will, 8:44 pm: What’s your cover?

Frankie, 8:46 pm: I’m an interpreter at the U.N. and met Susan at a spin class.

Will, 8:47 pm: Oh, I like it! Solid and trustworthy. Are you wearing glasses?

Frankie, 8:47 pm: How is that relevant?

Will, 8:48 pm: Are you?

Frankie, 8:49 pm: Yes.

Frankie, 8:49 pm: Now shut up.

::

Will, 09:03 pm: Are you wearing a sash? Is Susan? Are you all wearing matching t-shirts?

Frankie, 09:07 pm: Had to take it off when we started painting each other’s nails.

Will, 09:08 pm: Seriously?

Frankie, 09:08 pm: 🙄

Will, 09:09 pm: Does that mean no?

::

Frankie, 09:54 pm: I can’t believe I’m asking this, but at which point am I supposed to cut Susan off?

Will, 09:55 pm: I thought getting drunk was the whole point of this bachelorette party... How bad is it?

Frankie, 09:55 pm: Fighting with one of her sisters in Spanish.

Will, 09:56 pm: Which one?

Frankie, 09:56 pm: Don’t know.

Frankie, 09:57 pm: Katherine or Kristina.

Will, 09:57 pm: Send me a pic.

Frankie, 09:58 pm: No.

Frankie, 09:59 pm: Does it matter which one?

Will, 10:00 pm: Yes!

Will, 10:03 pm: Frankie?

Will, 10:04 pm: Frankie??

Frankie, 10:10 pm: I’ll figure it out.

::

Frankie, 10:31 pm: It was Katherine.

Will, 10:32 pm: That’s okay. They like each other. Kinda.

Will, 10:33 pm: All good now?

Frankie, 10:33 pm: Yep. Doing shots off the stripper’s chest.

Will, 10:34 pm: You’re kidding.

Frankie, 10:34 pm: Would I joke about something like that?

Will, 10:34 pm: YES.

Frankie, 10:35 pm: Doesn’t sound like me.

Will, 10:35 pm: Humbug!

Frankie, 10:36 pm: Just when I forget how old you really are you go and say things like humbug…

Will, 10:37 pm: What’s wrong with humbug? It’s a perfectly good word!

Frankie, 10:37 pm: Alright, Grandpa.

Will, 10:38 pm: Mock me all you want. I’ll remind you of this the next time you slap Standish for saying lit or poppin.

Frankie, 10:39 pm: Don’t remind me…

::

Will, 11:16 pm: Mission status?

Frankie, 11:18 pm: Meh. Susan seems to be having fun with her old college friends.

Will, 11:19 pm: Watch out when Kristina starts with shots. Susan and her sisters can really do Tequila.

Frankie, 11:20 pm: So do I!

Will, 11:21 pm: You can’t. Trust me.

Frankie, 11:22 pm: Never 😉

Will, 11:23 pm: What about you? Are you having fun?

Frankie, 11:24 pm: I’d rather be in a bar brawl.

Will, 11:25 pm: You mean you’d like to start one.

Frankie, 11:25 pm: Same thing.

::

Jai, 11:27 pm: Stop texting Will.

Frankie, 11:27 pm: Why do you think he’s texting me?

Jai, 11:28 pm: He’s smiling at his phone.

Frankie, 11:29 pm: So?

Jai, 11:30 pm: Stop insulting my intelligence.

Jai, 11:31 pm: Why can’t I be at Susan’s party? I hate this steroid fuelled gathering. It’s completely unsophisticated.

Frankie, 11:32 pm: Sports bar?

Jai, 11:33 pm: Yes.

Frankie, 11:33 pm: Leave?

Jai, 11:34 pm: Can’t. I promised Susan.

Frankie, 11:34 pm: What do you want with Will?

Jai, 11:35 pm: He’s the only person here I don’t completely despise. Only he’s preoccupied with his phone.

Frankie, 11:36 pm: Standish?

Jai, 11:36 pm: Trying to bond with Ray’s buddies and working his way through a pitcher.

Jai, 11:37 pm: It’s disgusting.

::

Frankie, 11:39 pm: Stop texting me. Jai feels left out.

Will, 11:40 pm: Got it.

Will, 11:41 pm: Meet me for a run tomorrow?

Frankie, 11:42 pm: No.

Will, 11:43 pm: Come on.

Frankie, 11:43 pm: No. Gonna sleep in.

Will, 11:44 pm: Coffee after?

Frankie, 11:44 pm: Tall hazelnut macchiato with an extra shot?

Will, 11:44 pm: And cream.

Frankie, 11:45 pm: Maybe.

Will, 11:45 pm: I’ll pick you up at 10.

Frankie, 11:45 pm: 10.30.

Will, 11:46 pm: Deal.

::

Jai, 00:32 am: They started a fight. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Frankie, 00:34 am: What? Who started a fight??

Frankie, 00:36 am: Jai!

Jai, 00:40 am: Two of Rays fraternity brothers. Seems like they slept with the same girl back in college.

Frankie, 00:42 am: Did you make them realise that?

Jai, 00:43 am: Apparently she was quite a catch.

Frankie, 00:44 am: Good boy.

::

Will, 01:12 am: Heading to a secondary location.

Frankie, 01:16 am: Don’t make it sound like a kidnapping.

Frankie, 01:16 am: Also: I never asked for a play-by-play recount. Definitely didn’t ask for that.

::

Will, 01:49 am: Oh my God, it’s a strip club. And not the good kind.

Frankie, 01:50 am: There’s a good kind?

Will, 01:53 am: I think Jai is running out of sanitary wipes.

Will, 01:54 am: I always imagined I wanted a bachelor party like this, but I think you’re right. No one over forty needs this. No one under forty needs this.

Frankie, 01:55 am: Glad I could make you see the light.

Will, 01:55 am: And it’s not like you only have friends according to your own gender. Why can’t it be a nice evening among friends, sharing a few drinks?!

Frankie, 01:56 am: A few rounds of pool?

Will, 01:56 am: Yes! And darts.

Frankie, 01:57 am: You suck at darts.

Will, 01:57 am: No, I don’t.

Frankie, 01:57 am: Yes, you do.

Will, 01:58 am: Don’t.

Frankie, 01:58 am: Do.

Will, 01:58 am: Don’t. You’re just very distracting.

Frankie, 01.59 am: You’re a trained sniper. How am I distracting?

Will, 01:59 am: Do you really want me to answer that?

Frankie, 01:59 am: No.

Frankie, 02:06 am: Anyway, drinks with friends, pool and darts sounds nice.

Will, 02:08 am: Yeah, it does.

::

Jai, 02:42 am: Will told me about your plan for a joint bachelor/bachelorette party. No! I forbid it.

Frankie, 02:43 am: ???

Jai, 02:43 am: You two cannot treat this like any other day at the Dead Drop. Will will go to a Gentleman’s Club, enjoy perfect whiskey and cigars, you will have a luxurious spa day and the best rooftop bar in town afterwards.

Frankie, 02:44 am: Will would rather have the spa day.

Frankie, 02:44 am: And what Gentleman’s Club?

Frankie, 02:45 am: You realise that none of this matters, because we’re not getting married. Because we’re not together!!!

Jai, 02:46 am: Hmhm.

::

Frankie, 02:47 am: Don’t tell Jai stuff we talk about.

Will, 02:47 am: Okay...? I apologise.

Frankie, 02:48 am: And he says you have to have your bachelor party at a Gentleman’s Club. Whatever that is. Whiskey and cigars.

Will, 02:48 am: He’s not making me wear that stupid hat again, is he?

Will: 02:49 am: What about you?

Frankie, 02:50 am: Spa day.

Will, 02:51 am: I’d love a spa day!

Frankie, 02:52 am: I know. Already told him.

Will, 02:53 am: Thanks, boo.

Frankie, 02:54 am: Ugh.

::

Will, 03:32 am: On our way to the ER.

Frankie, 03:33 am: Paper cut?

Will, 03:34 am: Haha.

Frankie, 03:34 am: Tell me.

Will, 03:34 am: Standish.

Frankie, 03:35 am: Did he get a paper cut?

Will, 03:38 am: He says he doesn’t want you to know.

Frankie, 03:39 am: Tell him I’ll take away his PSP.

Will, 03:41 am: He fell down a stripper pole. Needs some stitches.

Frankie, 03:41 am: I want to see the video!

::

Will, 04:22 am: You good?

Frankie, 04:22 am: Yeah. Just got back home. You?

Will, 04:23 am: Still waiting in the ER.

Frankie, 04:24 am: Standish okay?

Will, 04:25 am: He’ll be fine. Probably one hell of a hangover tomorrow.

Frankie, 04:25 am: You still going for a run tomorrow? As in later?

Will, 04:26 am: Why? You changed your mind?

Frankie, 04:26 am: Hard pass.

Will, 04:27 am: You had a good time?

Frankie, 04:27 am: Better than expected. You?

Will, 04:28 am: Okay, I guess. I still think I should have been at Susan’s party. I’m her BFF.

Frankie, 04:28 am: You’re Ray’s BFF. Get over it.

Will, 04:29 am: No, I’m not.

Will, 04:29 am: I might be his, but he’s not mine.

Frankie, 04:30 am: Who’s yours?

Will, 04:31 am: You.