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It's been a hectic month at the Bureau. Hell, it's been a hectic year. Isobel is exhausted and she knows her agents are. As their SAC it's her job to make sure each and every one of them is sharp and ready for whatever the world throws at them.
She's not blind to the painful decisions she must make each day. She lies to Jubal frequently, always having some reason why she can't come with them whenever he's organised some team building activity. Mostly, she goes to a bar, alone, and drinks. It's not easy for her. Scola is cold and matter of fact with her since she hid the information about Nina from him. Isobel knows it wasn't her best call, but she'd felt it was necessary. No one fully understands exactly how hard it is to make those kinds of calls. It's either the agents that she views as a second family, or it's America, the country she's sworn to protect at any cost.
It's not easy to pick between them.
She's fairly convinced that most of the office dislikes her. Ian is always polite, of course, but he's an analyst. He doesn't speak to anyone unless asked. OA, well, she knows he's disliked her at best since Maggie's accident. And Maggie herself, well, Maggie's cautious with everyone. She didn't agree with Isobel's decision to lie to a suspect, and while she hasn't seemed to change towards Isobel since, the woman is fairly certain that Maggie has joined the hate train too.
In fact perhaps the only person that she's not sure absolutely hates her is Jubal, and that's most likely because he has been where she is, in the position of power where decisions good or bad fall on her shoulders. He respects her, at least.
Despite how they may feel about her, Isobel has a deep love and respect for each of her agents. By now, she's worked with most of them for at least 4 years, Maggie and OA slightly longer, at 6. It doesn't feel like long ago that she came in, but Isobel admires many qualities in each of her agents. Maggie is one of the most calm and measured Agents she's ever met, OA is intelligent and committed, Scola cares about people so much, and Tiffany is strong and brave.
Each of them possesses talents that make Isobel admire them.
Today, Isobel gets a rare opportunity to let them know. Or, at the very least, to reward that hard work.
The ADIC alerts her in advance when they're expecting a quiet day. It's usually quite easy to pick up, so long as no murders or shootings or abductions randomly take place. Today, it's so quiet that the ADIC offers her the day off. Isobel is many things but selfish is not one of them. She immediately asks his permission to bring in some temporary agents who work in other departments to oversee for the day. She wants her team to have a day off if it's possible.
The ADIC says yes almost immediately.
She personally calls each of her agents prior to them coming in, alerting them to the day off. Maggie and OA answer almost immediately after the other, both thanking her and asking if she had any plans.
Of course she didn't, but that was ok, because at least her agents would get the opportunity to do something relaxing. Isobel eventually decides that sitting in her apartment bored out of her brain is a bit stupid.
It's her day off, for heavens sakes! Fighting the depression that's trying to take hold on her, Isobel changes into some exercise clothes, glad her hair is so short as she grabs her phone, keys and purse. She drives towards the beach. It's her favorite place to spend an afternoon, and a physical outlet would be nice for a change, instead of drinking her sadness away.
When she gets there, it's easy to find a spot to park. In fact, there's not many people here for such a beautiful day. Isobel feels slightly relieved at this. She locks her car and slips her airpods in, and begins jogging up the path, admiring the view as she does so.
It's not until she needs a drink that she stops, and she's certainly not expecting what she sees.
At first she only spots Maggie. She nearly lifts her hand to wave at the woman, but before she has the chance, she spots OA, and then she feels confused.
What are Maggie and OA doing at the beach?
At first, Isobel thinks that they're doing what she's doing. It's warm weather, so exercise seems like a good option. Just looking at OA indicates that he appreciates the activity. She feels embarrassed and goes to continue, but then, she seems to realise that it's clearly not what she'd initially expected, and, intrigued, stops again to get another look.
It doesn't take too long to create a new theory. Isobel knows that from the distance she's standing at, they probably can't see her. But OA and Maggie aren't dressed in running clothes. Maggie's wearing a light blue sundress, her long hair wavy and out. Isobel rarely sees it like this. OA is wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and sitting on a towel while Maggie beckons for him to follow her towards the water. She looks so.....happy. Carefree. Isobel wishes she could look that way, but it's a good look on the usually stoic Agent Bell.
Isobel isn't sure what tips her off, but she's pretty sure that most agents aren't spending time together when they've got a day off. So why are Maggie and OA? She knows they're close, of course. They're the best duo she's ever seen in all her years of working for the Bureau. She's never seen anyone get along so easily, cooperate, and think scarily alike.
But even for them, this seems out of character.
Isobel knows she's intruding on something she has no right to. If either of them saw her, they might be offended. But she's puffed from running and intrigued, and she's pretty sure that she's invisible to the pair. So despite her better judgement, she decides to observe.
"OA! Come on." Maggie urges. "The water's perfect."
"I'm not swimming love." OA shakes his head. Isobel is slightly surprised at the nickname, but thinks little of it.
"Please? For me?" Maggie bats her eyelids and OA grumbles. Isobel hears him mutter something in Arabic and is shocked when he suddenly jumps up and runs towards her, scooping Maggie into his arms and spinning her before walking into the water.
"OA!" Maggie shrieks, and he laughs, her form hovering over his as he goes further in.
"What's wrong love? You wanted this, didn't you? Couldn't let me relax in the sun?" OA laughs.
"I wanted you to swim with me." Maggie looks upset only briefly. OA kisses her and she instantly smiles, and Isobel knows immediately that this isn't two partners/best friends hanging out on a day off. No, this is a couple, and she's had absolutely no idea.
It makes sense, of course. She wonders how long they've been together. They seem so at ease with each other, more than she's paid attention to, but they're so professional when they're working that had she not seen this, she wouldn't have had a single clue. Isobel finds herself mildly impressed. She's happy for them, even thought it makes her feel more lonely than ever.
She feels a bit like a stalker as she watches them. They splash each other in the water, laughing and squealing as it hits them. Maggie looks so happy and young and in love, and OA looks at her like he'd lay the world at her feet if she'd asked.
They're a good fit, she decides.
She refocuses on them, right as OA drops Maggie into the water and she shrieks again. They're soaked through but she's never seen them look this happy, not as long as she's known them.
She's not trying to be intrusive and decides to leave. It doesn't take her long to decide that she won't report it. If she's off duty, she's at no obligation to do anything. Had she not physically seen it, Isobel wouldn't have been aware, ever. So they're obviously aware of the ramifications of their relationship, and Isobel makes too many hard calls for this one to be necessary.
It's so obvious why OA has been so indifferent towards her since Maggie's accident. Isobel had nearly killed his girlfriend. She hates herself for it and resolves to leave quickly. She can't imagine how hard it must've been for them.
But she accidentally gives herself away as she turns to continue jogging, because she accidentally hits the car mirror of the vehicle that she's been hiding behind, and sets the alarm off. Isobel hates to admit that she panics. She barely has a second to register the sound before she tries to start running again, but this time, somehow, OA has rushed up to see the commotion, likely seeing a figure attempting to run from his car and going to check it out.
You can take an Agent out of the FBI, but you can't take the FBI out of an Agent.
"Isobel?" OA furrows his brow, flicking off the alarm with his keys and a relieved look.
"I'm sorry." She apologises quickly, but OA looks at her like she's his boss and no one else. He won't say anything, or doesn't get the chance to, because Maggie rushes to his side. Perhaps out of habit, he wraps his arm around her waist, still looking at Isobel with confusion.
"Isobel?" Maggie asks, then, pales, looking down at OA's arm around her waist and then back at their boss like they've been caught doing something they shouldn't. "We...um, w-what happened?"
"I set the alarm off. I was jogging." Isobel briefly explains. She catches OA trying to very slowly remove his arm from Maggie's waist and decides to save them the trouble. "You don't have to.....do that." She says to OA. "I um, I was sort of watching you two."
OA looks embarrassed and Maggie frowns slightly. "You were watching us?"
"I swear it was innocent!" Isobel says. "I was bored. I came for a run. I only happened to see you both by accident." She knows that they'll pick up on her lie. She'd told them earlier that she did in fact, have plans.
Maggie looks at her, almost with pity. Isobel hates it. "We're sorry. I know we should've told you, but it just seemed easier to keep it to ourselves, and you haven't noticed, so we thought maybe it was simpler this way?"
Isobel shrugs. "I wouldn't have had a single clue. Don't be sorry. I'm not your SAC today. I'm just Isobel Castille."
And all the lonely, miserable, terrible things that came with her.
OA looks at Maggie, and they seem to have a silent conversation before looking back at her. Isobel sort of wishes she had someone she could do that with. "In that case," OA says it, to her surprise, "Come with us, Isobel."
"What?" Isobel asks.
Maggie smiles. "You said you were bored. We're heading to find food."
"I don't want to....intrude." Isobel says. It's true. Third wheeling sucks.
"You won't." OA offers. "Isobel we've worked with you for years. We're as close to friends as it's possible to be. If you're alone and you don't have plans, then come with us. Please."
Isobel wants to argue, truly. But Maggie loops her arm around Isobel's and before she can let rationality intervene, she finds herself agreeing. Eventually they opt for Italian, the restaurant overlooking the ocean as the sun sets. It's magical, and Isobel finds herself relaxing the longer they're together.
Of course, Maggie and OA know how to act around her. But she insists that they be themselves, if for her own benefit at the very least, (she doesn't want to feel as though she's ruined their day off together) and they comply. OA glares the waiter down when he looks at Maggie until he leaves. They share their food, without even needing to verbalise it to the other, and Isobel isn't blind to OA's hand on Maggie's thigh throughout.
But it's still the nicest dinner she's had in a really long time.
They talk about all manner of things, and it's not work related. OA tells her that he's been getting into hiking with Maggie, when they get the time on the weekend. Maggie discusses her sister, who's 8 months sober and how she couldn't be prouder of her.
Neither of them make her feel small for having nothing personal to add without discussing work.
When the time comes for them to split up, Maggie insists that they follow Isobel home since it's well after 11. She's not surprised. Isobel has had something to drink, and while she's safe to drive, the pair likely don't want to have to worry about whether or not she's safe.
"Thank you for spending the evening with me." Isobel says as they get to her house.
"I really enjoyed it." Maggie beams at her. What happens next is unexpected. She leans forward and gives Isobel a hug. "And seriously. If you ever need someone to hang out with, let us know. You're fun to be around. Even if you don't see it."
Isobel assumes they're being nice. OA smiles warmly at her and she peaks down at them after she heads into her apartment, watches OA chatting with Maggie and opening her door for her, watches him drive them away.
The next day, she's casually polite to them so that they don't feel uncomfortable. Maggie smiles at her, a bit wider than she normally would, her face and skin slightly tanned and her nose a little more freckled than usual from the sun of yesterday. Even OA seems to be a lot nicer to her than usual. She takes careful note of everything they do. She hadn't noticed before that they'll change for an assignment at the same time, and she does not want to think about why.
She never noticed the way OA holds her hand under the desk, or the way his jaw clenches when he's afraid of something Maggie's involved in. It's more understandable now when he wants to pull her out of an undercover op early simply because she gets a tiny bit of confrontation. Isobel wonders if Scola and Nina know, with the way the pair seem to easily calm OA or Maggie if their significant other disappears into a dangerous situation.
Determined to support them if she can, Isobel even tries to cover for them a little after today's mishap.
It was no one's fault. They'd been tracking a routine abduction that somehow ended with a bomb strapped to the bottom of an apartment building, a bomb that could take out nearly 3 blocks within it's radius.
OA had insisted the evacuate when it became clear they might not locate it in time.
But Maggie had argued, saying that she could find it and save thousands of people. Isobel hadn't wanted to pick a side. She saw the merit in both arguments and was willing to let them decide.
So Maggie rushed back into the building.
"Maggie!" OA screams after her. Isobel is in the field today, personally requested by the ADIC to assist with the case in person. She watches as OA tries to run after Maggie, only for SWAT to stop him. Maggie only manages to locate and disarm the bomb 15 seconds before it's set to explode. When they exit, Isobel, sees OA rush past the other Agents to Maggie and wrap his arms around her.
No one else notices because Isobel walks over, determined to give them a little privacy and make it seem like nothing was amiss. "You scared the fucking hell out of me." OA says it in such a low, panicked tone, that Isobel wonders how he isn't crying.
"I knew I could find it, OA. All of these people would be dead if we hadn't." Maggie reasons.
OA inspects her for injuries, and Isobel isn't blind to the way Maggie lets out a sharp, jagged breath, likely realising that she'd been far too close that time. Her body trembles, badly, and Isobel barely blinks before OA has practically torn off his jacket and placed it over Maggie's shoulders. "Come on. Let's get you checked out. You've got a cut."
"I'm sorry." Maggie says as he guides her towards the EMT's. Isobel smiles at them both. She knows OA will have Maggie's back no matter what, and vice versa. It's not easy to make that kind of decision, but she's got the feeling that they're closer for it. OA nods at her, as though he appreciates her support and presence, and she smiles bacl as he looks back at the woman he's clearly madly in love with.
She doesn't miss the little kiss Maggie gives OA to silence him when he begins rambling again about the close call.
Isobel quickly decides that the pair of them are her favorite part of work each day. She finds it slightly amusing when Maggie next gets a little upset over a girl who gets 'too close for comfort' when OA is undercover. She hears Maggie complaining to him later on, when nearly everyone has left and the pair are heading towards the elevators.
"She was disgusting." Maggie grimaces, as though she's genuinely repulsed. OA laughs.
"Oh come on. Now you know how I feel when you go undercover." He winks at her. Isobel watches Maggie's face contort into a scowl.
"Don't you even." She glares at him. "She was like....kissing your neck. Ugh."
"Don't be jealous, love." OA smiles at her, giving her a little hug as the elevator pings. "You're the only one for me."
"You're cheesy." Maggie rolls her eyes. Still, she blushes, and Isobel smiles to herself as the leave. They're always careful, always professional, and it's nice to see them just be themselves. She's happy for them.
She's not expecting them to want to hang out with her again. People usually say that, but don't do it, and that's okay because she had fun that one time, right? But when the ADIC gives her another day off the following week, later, she finds out, because of the law being brought in that restricts how many days you can legally work in a week, Isobel is surprised to see OA calling her.
"Hello, Isobel speaking." She says it even though she knows who's on the other side.
"We know." Maggie laughs. "Hey boss."
"So......got plans?" OA asks.
They know the answer. "I suppose I could squeeze you in." Isobel offers.
"Perfect. We were thinking that we could go to the little hiking trail you suggested the other day." Maggie says, and she knows they're together, wonders who's house they're at for the majority of their time. "If you don't have plans this evening, I found a brewery I wanted to take a swing at. They've got some super good reviews."
Isobel accepts, of course, and she meets at Maggie's house, (answering her other question, clearly that's where they usually are) OA driving them under Isobel's directions till they finally arrive. It's fun and it's relaxing and it feels a lot like having friends. Maggie's got OA wrapped around her finger and she doesn't even need to make him hang out with her, because OA genuinely enjoys it as much as Isobel is, and it eases the ball of loneliness that's been settling in her stomach for too long.
And yes, she has to put up with (well, not really) watching OA kiss Maggie periodically, or seeing them share an inside joke, or just observing the way he holds her hand like that's his idea of a Christmas present.
But for once, Isobel doesn't feel alone.
For once she feels like she has friends.
They're not the kind of friends that end up ditching her. Maggie and OA conspire to find her a date. They invite their other coworkers, including Kristen, who she hasn't seen in such a long time, to spend an evening after work with them. Of course they're more careful when everyone is there, but somehow, they've gotten others to want to spend time with her.
She's at the top of their invite list when they have people over for dinner, and whenever they get the time to head out and do some random thing that you could only do in New York.
When they get married, she's got a front row seat because she's one of the 8 bridesmaids, and rights from Maggie to brag about knowing first. And suddenly, in that moment, with her boyfriend that they set up with her at her side, Isobel realises that maybe she's not alone. Maybe her family has been here all along, and she's only now realising it.
She realises, with a gleeful smile, that she's happy.