Chapter Text
OA stood outside Maggie’s hospital room, staring helplessly at her unconscious form. The dim overhead lighting framed the soft features of her face. He found himself missing the signature furrow of her brow. She would hate nothing more than to see him crying over her.
‘I need you’ echoed in his head each day he came to visit. These were the words he finally dared to say the first night she was admitted. Now, they had become a prayer to the universe for her to wake up and tell him everything was alright. His gut told him that was far from the truth, but his heart still had hope.
Day after day, OA took his place in the chair by her bed. The nurses on call came to expect his visits. He spent more time with her than anyone else combined. When they asked who he was to her, he sensed they were hoping for a bit more than, ‘We work together. I’m her partner.’
OA was the first to ask about updates, to see when this nightmare would finally be over and Maggie would be by his side again. She was getting stronger with every passing day, but he could tell it was a fight against her own body.
He breathed a sigh of relief when her eyes fluttered open. Maggie winced, adjusting the brightness of the room and the pounding in her head. He reached for her hand, and she squeezed it with all her strength—a clear message that she wasn’t giving up that easily.
“Maggie?” OA whispered as his eyes locked with hers after what felt like ages. She nodded, and the slight movement sent pain rippling through her muscles. “It’s so good to see you awake.” He said tearfully.
Maggie hoped for this moment in the sarin lab right before she succumbed to the gas. People always talk about seeing flashes of their lives when they’re on death’s doorstep, but that wasn’t true for her. She dreamed of waking up and seeing the person who loved her most.
“OA?” She choked out hoarsely, suddenly grateful he didn’t have a longer name. Her lungs throbbed as if she were breathing in the cold winter’s air. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she struggled to wiggle her toes.
“Hey, hey, Mags look at me.” OA pleaded, trying to stop her from spiraling. Maggie wasn’t someone who liked to show weakness, so he could only imagine the utter frustration she was experiencing.
“You are going to get through this. You’re the strongest person I know. Nothing keeps you down for long, and this time is no different.” He laced their fingers together, his thumb brushing over hers soothingly. “You’re not alone in this, alright? I have your back no matter what.”
Maggie was unsure of what the future held, but she knew his promise was genuine. It’s what she’d do for him in a heartbeat if he were in her place. “I-” She began but met with opposition from OA. He begged her not to rush recovery, even though work wasn’t the same without her. The entire JOC felt her absence, but there was no competition as to how much he missed Maggie.
“Get some rest. I’ll be here tomorrow.” OA vowed, leaning over to kiss her forehead without a second thought. He froze the instant his lips left her skin, surprised by his reflex. His mouth opened to apologize, but the soft smile on her face told him she didn’t mind. He was more restless than usual that night, thinking about the strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.
During the day, the same rotation of people checked Maggie’s vitals. Traces of the exposure were all but gone from her bloodstream, but her muscle response was still weak. The best part of being transferred to a rehabilitation wing was extended visitor hours. More often than not, Maggie stared at the clock, counting down the hours until OA would come around.
“Knock knock.” OA announced, standing against the doorframe with a tote bag in hand. Maggie was rolled on her side, gazing blankly out the window. She didn’t even lift her head when he walked toward her. “What’s the matter? I just talked to the nurses, and they said-”
“They said what, OA? That I’m doing better?” Maggie scoffed, angry at the world but more upset at herself for lashing out at him. “I hardly made it two steps today during therapy before I got tired.”
“Maggie, you’re exactly where you should be. You’re healing. Every part of you is healing, and that takes time.” OA assured gently and placed a hand on her shoulder. “We nearly lost you that day.”
She shrugged away from his touch, unable to stop the biting remarks from rolling off her tongue. “You don’t need to remind me. I was there.”
“Maggie.” OA repeated stubbornly, not willing to let her push him away. That’s what she was best at, keeping herself isolated and not letting people see her feelings beneath the surface. “Tell me what you’re thinking. Beyond the anger and the disappointment, what are you actually afraid of?”
Maggie shook her head reluctantly but sat up to face him anyway. The look he gave her made her feel safe like she could tell him anything and he wouldn’t judge her. “What if I’m not the same anymore?” Her voice cracked vulnerably, and he practically shattered into a million pieces.
“Of course, you’re not the same. You’re even stronger because you survived.” OA replied without pause. “You’ll be back with me, uh—all of us in no time. If you can’t believe that right now, I’ll believe it for you.” He recovered smoothly, but she picked up on his phrasing anyway.
Maggie leaned over and threw her arms around him appreciatively. “Thank you…for everything. Even if I lash out sometimes, I’m glad you’ve been here.”
OA held her tight, rubbing her back as she nuzzled into his chest. Her heart raced faster when he stroked her hair. “I almost forgot, I have a surprise for you.” He pulled away first, and Maggie instantly longed for another embrace.
“Hmm, you know how I feel about surprises.” Maggie joked as he rummaged around in the bag.
“Trust me, you’re going to like this one.” OA retorted, setting down take-out boxes on her end table. “I figured you needed a break from hospital food.”
“How did you sneak this past security?” Maggie lit up at the smell coming from the familiar containers. He handed her a pair of chopsticks and beamed when she greedily dug into the food.
“I may have used my badge to sneak through.” OA laughed when she playfully gasped in disbelief.
“I thought you were a straight-shooter, but I guess you do have a wild side.” Maggie teased between mouthfuls of noodles. In response, he reached over and stole a bite, relishing the way she pouted.
OA settled into his designated seat and kicked his feet beside hers on the bed. Most nights in the past month were spent like this—talking for hours and watching old reruns of sitcoms. Which, of course, was sparked by OA’s confession that he’d never seen an episode of Friends.
It shocked him to learn these would be her favorite types of shows. ‘ They’re a bit silly and very predictable, but it’s a nice break from what we do,’ Maggie told him late one evening.
As much as OA tried to resist, he quickly fell in love with watching them. Maybe it was for the same reason, or maybe it was because he adored the sound of her laugh.
The credits rolled however many episodes later, neither keeping track of time, and Maggie had an idea she couldn’t shake. “I want to try it again. Walking, I mean. I think I’m ready now.” She announced out of the blue, much to OA’s confusion.
“Right now?” His eyebrows raised in apprehension. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the ground. “Mags, I’m not sure. Shouldn’t you wait for the therapist?” OA rushed over to support her as she stood on her full weight.
“I’ll be fine, I promise. Besides, I’d rather it be you who breaks my fall rather than some stranger.” Maggie assured with a smile before locking their arms together. She wobbled a bit on the first step, but his sturdy grip stopped her from stumbling.
That day, Maggie made it ten steps before needing to sit down. OA treated each one like a small victory, cheering her on ecstatically. Their walks became longer in the following weeks until Maggie eventually conquered the hallway.
“Here they go again.” The nurses outside of Maggie’s room whispered giddily when OA showed up for their daily ‘date.’ There was a running bet over whether or not they were more than partners. The leading result was a resounding ‘hell yes.’
Maggie overheard the rumors, but it didn’t phase her much. The people in their lives had been wondering the same thing for years. There were so many reasons to take a chance on their relationship, but she was scared to put it all at risk. He was her rock, and life without him was unimaginable.
“Shall we?” OA interrupted her train of thought, returning her to reality. His hand hovered over her protectively as they walked. She insisted he had nothing to worry about, but he still wasn’t going to take any chances.
“I should be getting out of here soon. I'm sure you, Tiff, and Scola have been an absolute wreck without me.” Maggie exaggerated, nudging his side.
“Yeah, I bet you can't wait to be back bossing us all around.” OA chuckled when she agreed. It reminded him of a conversation they had years earlier about her needing to feel in control. Time had only strengthened their bond since then. She learned to trust him undeniably, even if that meant occasionally handing over the reins.
“OA, wait.” Maggie stopped suddenly, and he turned to her, immediately checking that she wasn’t hurt. “I have to ask you something.” She felt her voice catch in her throat under the intensity of his eyes.
“Yeah?” OA asked, scanning her expression for clues. It wasn’t often that she was at a loss for words.
“What were you thinking when that door sealed shut?” Maggie bit anxiously at her lip, knowing neither of them cared to revisit this moment in their past. Though OA wasn’t physically injured, it was a trauma nonetheless, and she could only imagine his internal turmoil.
OA took a deep breath, frowning at the memories that flooded his brain. The distress in her eyes still haunted him. “I was overwhelmed by this desperation to save you. I knew the longer you were in there, the worse it would be. Every second you were trapped, I felt like I was failing you. I refused to lose you, not then, not now, not ever.” He professed, and somehow during his speech, the space between them shrunk.
Maggie went back and forth, debating what to say. Part of her wanted to finally throw caution to the wind and shout, ‘ I need you too,’ but she was far too rational to follow through. She glanced briefly at his lips and prayed he didn’t catch her. “You could never fail me. It goes against who you are, this fiercely loyal and brave person who I’m honored to call my partner.”
OA looked away sheepishly as if his heroics were no big deal. To him, life was about fulfilling your duty to others. He wasn’t motivated by compliments or praise, but Maggie always ensured he was appreciated.
“Same time tomorrow?” Maggie smiled, and her joy was infectious. OA realized early on in their relationship that he would give anything to protect her peace. After the cards life had dealt her, there was no one more deserving of happiness.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”