Chapter Text
It had been a month since John had passed. And despite that fact, they found themselves back at headquarters, sitting around that same table they had gathered around years ago when John first recruited them.
Lawrence was the first to speak up. “Why are we here?”
“Where else would we be?” Amanda said, more a statement than an actual question. She looked tired, her eyes red and puffy; like she’d been crying.
“We’re here,” Mark started, sliding papers out to everyone, “because we still have cases.”
“John’s not here. How the hell do we still have cases?” Peter asked. He was clicking an ink pen, already looking pissed off. Although it never did take much to piss him off.
“He set these cases up in advance. You know how John was.” Lawrence said, doing little to conceal his own annoyance.
There was a moment of tense quiet where it seemed like nobody wanted to speak. But then Lawrence picked up the paper in front of him, eyes quickly scanning the words. “When do we go?”
“Thursday. 9 pm, like normal.” There was a finality in Mark’s voice.
The pen-clicking halted. “I’m not going.”
“What do you mean? You can't just not go,” Amanda said, her voice coming out thin.
“The man’s dead, Amanda. What’s he gonna do? He can’t hold anything over our heads anymore.”
“It’s Jill. She’s in charge of it now.” There was a sort of resigned sound in Mark’s voice.
“Oh that is such bullshit.” Peter stood up to leave and at the same time, Mark stood and blocked the door.
“I’ve got the texts from Jill.” Mark pulled his phone from his pocket, flipping it open showing . Peter the messages. Amanda and Lawrence didn't know what the texts said and they weren’t close enough to read but whatever they said, it was enough to get Peter to sit back down, muttering to himself.
“So we’re all in agreement? Thursday?” Mark asked, pocketing his phone again. His eyes never left Peter.
“I’ll be there,” Lawrence said, reaching for his cane. “Is that all?”
Mark nodded, stepping away from the door to let Lawrence through. “Yeah. Thanks for coming.”
Peter was the next to stand, crossing his arms over his chest. Like he was willing to start a fight if Mark didn’t let him through.
“Pete.”
“ Mark. ”
“Are you gonna be there?”
Peter’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll be there.”
“Good.”
Peter brushed past Mark, going out of his way to make sure they didn’t accidentally touch.
Now it was just Amanda, who had barely moved an inch since she’d gotten there. He pulled up a chair next to her. “You alright Mandy?”
“Yeah. Yeah I’m fine. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I was never really close with John.” He leaned on the table, resting his chin in his hand.
“I was expecting to hear from him, you know? Maybe see him around or something.”
“You don’t really want that. It’s better for all of us that he’s not lingering.”
Amanda shook her head and for a minute it seemed like she was going to disagree, but eventually all she managed was a half-hearted, “I guess.” Mark was thankful she didn’t protest.
“It is. You have to let people go.” He regretted it as soon as he said it, knowing how hypocritical it probably sounded. He knew just as well as she did that it wasn’t that easy, that sometimes you can’t just let it go.
Amanda spared him the lecture. “I wonder if Jill has seen him.”
“She wouldn’t tell us if she had.” Mark scoffed.
Amanda let out a sound that was almost a laugh. “She wouldn’t.”
“I’ll see you on Thursday, right?”
“Of course. I don't have anywhere else to be.”