Work Text:
At some point during the evening, when Nathan isn't looking, Audrey disappears.
He winds his way through the groups crowding the Gull, eyes peeled for a familiar blonde ponytail as he gets pulled into small talk every few feet by people who want to wish him a happy new year. Claire, in particular, seems to be enjoying the holiday spirits, and it's a good twenty minutes before he manages to escape her exuberant conversation.
With no luck inside the restaurant Nathan heads to the outdoor deck, which is just as crowded in spite of the snow and below-freezing temperatures. There's no sign of her here, either, and Nathan's debating his options when Duke catches his eye from the door, tilting his head in the direction of the staircase leading to the second story. Nathan hesitates for a moment before nodding his thanks, but Duke's already back inside, seeing to his hosting duties.
Someone's put a 'keep out' sign across the stairs, presumably to deter customers from disturbing Audrey's personal space, but Nathan steps over it easily. Upstairs, lights are on in her apartment, reflecting off the snow outside and brightening the deck with something warmer than that odd blue tinge of a full moon in winter. Right away he sees that she hasn't escaped into the warmth of her home but instead is outside, leaning against the deck railing, wrapped up in her coat with her hands hidden in her pockets.
The snow crunches under his boots as he approaches and he sees her jump before she spins to face him, her right hand moving to her hip. He falters for a second, thrown by her actions; Nathan noticed she's been jumpy lately, on edge, but he didn't expect her to be wearing her weapon off-duty at her own home, let alone expect her to almost pull it on him. Not now that everything's over. The implications of that unsettle him.
"Hi," is all he says, though, choosing not to call her on it but making a mental note to be certain that she hears him coming in the future. He also thinks he might get Claire to drop by sometime soon.
"Hey," she says back, moving her hand from her hip back to her coat pocket as he nears. "What brings you up here?"
"Looking for you." He mirrors her position, hands tucked in his jacket pockets and hip propped against the railing. "Wasn't sure where you'd gone."
Audrey nods and turns, looking down at where the revellers are just visible. "Too many people down there," she explains. "I needed to get away for a few minutes."
He doesn't bother to tell her that she's been missing for a good half-hour. "I checked the room capacity," he says instead, doing his best to sound annoyed, "but there's no fire code violation. I guess Duke stays in business for another night."
She smiles up at him in a way that makes Nathan think she knows exactly what he's doing. "How terrible," she drawls. "However will the citizens of Haven be able to rest knowing that such a dangerous criminal walks among them?"
Below them, a countdown begins, gaining volume the closer they get to zero. Then there's the expected burst of sound from noisemakers and shouts of "Happy New Year!" and a raucous – and probably drunk – group that starts singing Auld Lang Syne at the top of their lungs without knowing half the words. Whatever else he has to say about Duke, Nathan at least knows he'll make sure everyone has a safe ride home, so that's one less thing to worry about.
He glances over at Audrey, who has her head tilted toward the sky though her eyes are closed. He can't read her expression. "So, any resolutions?"
Her lips curve up in a smile, but it's more sad than happy. "I'm still getting used to the fact that I made it through last year. I haven't had much time to think about the next one."
Of course. He feels like an idiot for not realizing. She's spent the past couple of months just trying to find a way to survive past the meteor storm; of course she wouldn't have given much thought to the upcoming year.
Audrey doesn't seem inclined to wallow, though, and saves him from what's sure to be an awkward apology by asking, "You?"
"Nope." He doesn't add that it's for much the same reasons as her – he's been too focussed on keeping her here to think about the future except for how it relates to her. Either she'd still be here and he'd have pretty much everything he wanted, or she'd be gone and he wouldn't care about anything besides finding a way to bring her back. Aloud, he tells her, "Never been much good with following through on them."
She nods her agreement and they fall into a comfortable silence. The party's going strong at the Gull and Nathan thinks it's a good thing that so many people are able to look forward to the new year. It's been rough for a lot of families this year but with the Troubles seemingly behind them – maybe for good this time – there's a lot to celebrate.
"Nathan?" He hums a question at Audrey, twisting slightly to face her better, and she's looking up at him with eyes that are wide and serious. "Happy new year." Then she's leaning up to kiss his cheek, and it takes nearly all his willpower just to hold still until she pulls back.
All he can do is smile down at her, certain that the expression on his face is utterly ridiculous and not caring in the slightest. "Happy new year, Audrey."
She's still looking up at him, studying him, and he feels the smile fade. "What?" he asks.
"You were wrong."
That throws him for a loop. "About?"
Now she looks away, her gaze darting from his chin to his chest to something over his shoulder before landing on his face once more. "When you were talking about that day I first kissed you on the cheek, you said it was a small thing for me. But you were wrong." She reaches up and brushes her fingers over the exact spot she'd kissed all that time ago, and Nathan just stares at her, not even sure he's blinking anymore. She drops her eyes again, seeming to study the front of his jacket. "It was a really big thing. Not as big as it was for you, obviously, but... but I'd never had a real friend before, and you have no idea what it meant to realize I had you."
"Always," he promises without thinking, because it's true. He's hers for as long as she'll have him.
She lifts her eyes at that, her hands coming up to curl around the collar of his jacket. "Yeah," she breathes. "I'm starting to get that."
Then she's leaning up and he's leaning down and their lips meet somewhere in the middle.
He's been able to feel for almost a week now, is almost used to the incidental touches everyone else takes for granted, like clothes against his skin and the damp chill of the air, but all he wants – all he's wanted for months now – is to feel Audrey.
Her hands are still twisted in his collar, holding him close – like it's ever even occurred to him to pull away – so he reaches for the only other skin exposed to the winter air. One hand curves around the back of her neck, the other cupping her cheek with his thumb resting on her chin, and his fingers are almost numb from the cold but that doesn't make it any less amazing.
He's forgotten what icy fingers against skin feels like, though, and when he touches her Audrey jerks back with a little yelp of surprise. They stare at each other for a second, two, and then he grins just as she starts laughing. "Sorry," he apologizes, wrapping his arms around her loosely, and she tucks her head under his chin and leans into him. "I wasn't thinking."
"'S'okay," she murmurs against his coat. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It is," he assures her, tightening his hold. A week ago he wasn't sure he'd even have the opportunity to be anywhere near her so he'll take whatever he can get.
It's after midnight, though, the temperature well below freezing, and it isn't long before she starts shivering. He drops his arms reluctantly, letting his hands come to rest on her waist, taking every last second to keep her close before she heads inside for the night.
She surprises him when she says, "Come in with me."
"Audrey." He wants that, more than anything, but he isn't sure it's a good idea. "You just said you were still working through everything that's happened. Maybe now isn't the best time for you and me to...." He gestures between them, feeling his face heat.
She nods, glancing down. Just as he starts wishing he'd kept his mouth shut she brings her eyes back up to his, and the expression on her face stops his thoughts in their tracks. "There isn't a lot I'm sure about these days. I don't know who I really am or how or why I keep coming back to Haven or what my connection is to the Troubles." She shifts closer, pressing her palms against his chest. "But you've been there the entire time. Even when I tried to keep you away, you were right there. So I'm sure about this because I'm sure about you." She kisses him again, murmuring against his lips, "Come inside with me, Nathan."
His answer doesn't come in words. He cups the back of her head with one hand, presses her close with the other even as he backs her toward the brightly lit warmth of her apartment, and they begin the new year together.
--end--