Chapter Text
It was late when she finally let herself in her door, exhausted. She turned, meticulously locking up behind her, removed her jacket and stepped over the shoes by the door that seem to multiply daily.
Despite her exhaustion, she felt the tension drain from her body as she saw the Christmas lights on, the soft glow illuminating the note Dominick had left with instructions on how to head up her dinner. Even as she read it, he walked quietly by, bundled up for the chilly evening and wordlessly grabbed Frannie’s leash, stopping only briefly to press a kiss to her temple, and whisper that he’d see her soon.
He returned to find her sitting on the couch, the stem of a small glass of wine twirled between her fingers. He sat on the overstuffed chair, sensing she had something to say, and smiled softly, content to wait while she finished her glass. He wasn’t supposed to stay tonight, but the hour made it unlikely he’d truck home to the apartment he rarely visited these days, but as always, he would leave that up to her.
“I snapped at Velasco again.”
He bit back a grin, “Amanda, I thought you were gonna play nice.”
She sighed, and launched into the explanation, it had been a long day, and a trip to the hospital turned into a visit to Hudson and then an off campus apartment, and it got cold so quickly when the sun went down.
“And then he said ‘take my jacket, it’s cold outside,’” and I snapped at him, and I said
“If I wanted your jacket, I’d ask for it.” Sonny joined her in unison, picturing the scene as easily as if he had been there, as though she had said the same to him years before.
“What’s really the problem, Amanda? You’ve said yourself, he’s a good cop, and he learns fast.”
Quietly, she admitted “he’s not you. I wouldn’t trade this for anything,” she gestures to the two of them, the room around, the remnants of her dinner, “but I still miss the best partner I ever had.”
Stunned, he had to clear his throat before he replied “well, I wouldn’t trade it either, Rollins, but if I’m gonna go tonight,” he trails off, standing to leave.
She rises, walks over to him deliberately, “don’t go. Stay. Stay all the time,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “it’ll make the missing you out there bearable, knowing I’ll always have you here.”
The grin that broke out on his face was all the answer she got before they walked down the hall to their room.