Work Text:
OA rubbed his temples as he felt the first signs of a headache. Glancing at the time on his computer, he was surprised to see that it was already nearing eight o'clock. He had been at his desk for longer than he thought, but the events of earlier were still fresh in his mind.
He had ran through Grange's death over and over, trying to think of any way it could have been prevented, but his mind landed only on one… stopping that speech. Ethan was right, he should have done more to make that happen.
Now, OA didn't know what was going to happen to Ethan, and that was really bothering him. He still couldn't help feeling responsible.
Realizing he wasn't getting anything accomplished, he sighed and reached over to turn off his monitor. It was time to pack it up for the night. The room was nearly dark, and there wasn't anyone else there… or that's what he thought until he heard movement by the door.
He was getting ready to stand from his chair when he felt, rather than saw, her presence. When he finally did look up, she was watching him carefully, and he knew she was assessing how he was coping.
That was the thing about Maggie… even on days like today, when they were hardly even together, she could still read him like an open book. Though only for a brief second, the thought made OA smile. He had missed his partner today… his real partner.
After another moment of conducting her assessment, Maggie finally closed the gap between them. "Why am I not surprised to see you here?" She stopped at his desk and perched herself on the side of it.
He remained in his chair. "I lost track of time." Looking away from the intensity of her gaze, he tried deflecting the conversation to her. "I thought you would've went home after your meeting."
"I came back here to drop off Scola, and I saw your truck still in the parking garage… figured you were still running through the aftermath of today. I know it was rough on you.. And don't think you can deflect that easily."
OA finally looked up and returned the small smirk she was giving him. "Can't blame me for trying."
She shifted a little closer, her demeanor now becoming more serious. "OA… what happened today, that's not on you."
He scoffed. "Isn't it?"
"No, it's not. You did everything in your power to prevent this. As unfortunate as it is, today was one of those times where we can't control every scenario."
OA shook his head. "I should have done more to stop Grange from giving that speech."
"OA, there's nothing you could have done or said to stop him from going up, he was going to give that speech no matter what. Didn't Ethan even ask him to call it off?"
He nodded.
"Grange wasn't backing down. You know that just as well as I do. The only reason you're doubting your moves is because of what Ethan said right after the shooting." Maggie's eyes were pleading with him to listen to her, and she softened her voice a bit. "You can't take what he said to heart. He was in shock, and the only thing he knew to do was lash out. He needed someone near to blame."
The two agents sat in silence for a long moment. Deep down, OA knew Maggie was right, but he knew the pain of losing his own father, and he hated that Ethan was experiencing it now too.
Maggie placed her hand on OA's arm and gave a reassuring squeeze. "You did everything right today, Omar."
He hadn't realized before how much he actually needed to hear that. Sure, Scola had tried to get through to him earlier, but no words of reassurance ever meant as much as they did coming from his partner. He covered her hand with his own and gave her a soft smile. "Thank you."
"Of course." She held his gaze for a minute before pointing to some papers on his desk. "FBI application? What, are you planning on leaving me for another unit?" She was joking, but he could see the confusion written on her features.
"Nah, I could never leave you." While his tone was light, OA meant those words wholeheartedly. Leaving Maggie was never in his plans. "This is for Ethan. I know I can't make the pain of losing his father go away, but I want him to know someone's there for him."
"That's a sweet gesture, OA. He'll appreciate it." She stood from his desk and made sure she had her keys. "You're heading out too, right?"
"Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and take these papers over." OA grabbed his own keys and suit jacket, following Maggie to the elevators. Before she could press the button, he gently grabbed her arm, stopping her in the hall. "Wait, Maggie."
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to say that I missed you today. I know that we were all together for the take down, but it felt odd not having you by my side. Don't get me wrong, Tiffany's great, but…"
"I know. I missed you too. Scola's a really good agent, but you're my partner, and I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled at him, and he was glad they were on the same page.
A few short moments later, they were down in the parking garage about to part ways. "Thank you, Mags. I appreciate you staying to talk."
"Anytime. You know that."
OA stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Maggie's small frame. The love and trust he had for his whole team ran deep, but if he was being completely honest, Maggie was the only one he wanted guarding his six.
ONE MONTH LATER
OA felt a smile tugging at his lips as he read the message that just appeared on his phone. It was from Ethan.
'Can we meet for lunch tomorrow? I know I'm still a ways off, but I wanted to pick your brain about the academy.'
OA didn't hesitate to reply with a yes. It would be good to check in on Ethan. They had stayed in touch since Grange's death, OA even attending the funeral.
Shortly after the service, Ethan apologized for what he said, telling him that he understood OA did everything he could. As far as OA was concerned, Ethan had nothing to apologize for, and he promised the young man that he would be there for whatever he needed.
Feeling eyes on him, he looked over to where Maggie was sitting at her desk. He could tell she was curious, so he leaned over allowing her to read the text.
She smiled. "I'm glad you two are staying in touch. I think it's good for both of you."
He nodded, knowing his partner was right. He would never admit it out loud, but she usually was.