[Room 15, with Michael]

[notinthebook]

 She's got the brand-new bottle of Johnny Walker Blue in one hand when she knocks at the door of Room 15, feeling unaccountably nervous.  

It's not like this is weird, or anything.  It's not like she thinks he'll be unhappy to see her -- or the whiskey.  And she wants to know how the latest mission went, whether there were more crab-monsters involved, or...whatever might be out there.

(But they haven't talked, alone, since her stint as bartender and the fight they'd had, which, in retrospect...she doesn't even remember how it got started, or why.  That feeling of sinking unhappiness is pretty immediately recognizable, though.)

If asked, she might not even be able to say why she's here, aside from the simplest reason she can put in words: she wanted to see him.

I miss you, he'd written, once.

Well, the feeling's mutual.

Comments

[notinthebook]

There's a long, unhappy-looking scratch on his back when he pulls his shirt over his head, and she notes it, but at least it doesn't look so bad. A little souvenir from one of the jobs he's been pulling here, she guesses, and it could be worse. At least it's not a bullet.

"Oh my God."

Her expression contracts into concern and disbelief, watching as he sits, his usually impeccable posture starting to crumple at the edges so that his shoulders roll forward just slightly. He never slouches like her, but he looks exhausted, considering he's been resting and recovering for the last few days.

Walking over, she sits next to him, the mattress dipping under her added weight, her fingers hanging loose between her knees as she looks over.

"This guy sounds like a nutjob. A bomb? What the hell?"

[luvs_yogurt]

"Yeah, well I didn't exactly expect the kind of person that'd accuse me of the things they say I did to exactly be all there."

He sighs and looks over at her with a reserved, almost haunted flatness to his face - trying not to show what he knows he's already giving away. Innocent people were hurt... probably died... because someone wants to get his attention. Mission accomplished.

"It's a power tactic, he wants me to know who's in charge."

Lucky for him, he's not the type to bend to threats - no matter how real they are.

[notinthebook]

She knows what people think of her. It's a persona she cultivates: stay aloof, stay detached, because otherwise, you can be hurt by too many things. It sucks, sometimes, but it's been helpful more often than it's been hurtful.

But she's got a heart, and she's got sympathy to give, and when someone close to her is hurting, she hurts, too.

There's something so miserable shading the bright blue of his eyes.

The hand she puts on his shoulder is gentle in a way most people wouldn't expect her capable of, but she doesn't care, squeezes lightly. "It's not your fault this guy's a sociopath. And you'll find him."

[luvs_yogurt]

Part of him doesn't want to admit that he's not ready yet, that he's been staying away because of things like this. But, there isn't really any other way.

"This is probably the last time I'm going to be able to go back before I have to take care of business." He looks down, licking his lips; "I'm close... but he's closer. He knows my movements, the places I go and the people I know. It's not good, Emma."

The way his voice drops to a near whisper, he knows that she understands what he means - there's a chance that when he goes back alone it's not going to be good.

"I might not come back next time."

[notinthebook]

Her hand tightens on his shoulder, reflexive before she forces it to relax.

This is all so screwed up. How the hell are people supposed to do any good against the sheer stupid cruelty of the world? "Don't say that."

Her own voice is low and intent. All her quips are gone for the moment, stripped away, leaving behind earnest hazel eyes and confidence she drags, unwilling, up from whatever secret well she's got deep inside, the one that got her through her childhood and through the years after finally escaping the system; the one that gave her the strength to tell Henry she was staying.

"You're awesome at this stuff. And...if you need help...there are people here who care about you. And a lot of them are pretty handy in a pinch."

[luvs_yogurt]

The shadow over his eyes flickers and is gone, replaced with an almost angry glare; "Don't even suggest that, Emma. You don't know these people - this is my battle, I'm not dragging anyone else into it."

He can't. If he did the thought that he might not make it back would easily turn into a certainty that nobody would.

"Anyway," he shakes his head; "he's biding his time - we should easily have two days to pull off this job without getting noticed. I even told Barry it'd be like a week just in case he's bugged."

He won't mention the part where he'll spend most of the time lying low and out of sight. Not yet.

[notinthebook]

Her lips thin, and it's like a faint veil falls over her eyes, turning them cool again as she lifts her hand away and sits back.

"Have it your way."

She's already been dragged in, though. She has, and so has anyone else who's befriended him, because they all care whether or not he comes back, despite the fact that he can be a complete idiot from time to time.

Shrugging, her expression turns disinterested, like it's just another job she knows he'll pull off and tell her about just so he can see the faces she'll make in response. "Hotel it is. No offense, but it'll probably be a lot more comfortable, too. Do you even have a bathroom in that loft?"

[luvs_yogurt]

The coldness makes the knot in his stomach clench again and while it's good to have something other than gastric distress to blame for it, knowing it's because he's pissed her off makes it worse. He won't take it back, though. Nobody steps through that door with him when it's time. Nobody.

"I do... the shower's a little... uh, not the best - but as long as the vice grips hold out it's in working order."

He smiles, superficial but real, and leans in close; "I've got just the place in mind... ocean view, pristine beach, quiet and very discrete about it's clientele." Just in case she wants to stay a while after the job's over, he wouldn't complain at the chance to catch a break for a little bit.

[notinthebook]

When she first met him, she would have shied away from the way he leans in, close enough she can just about feel the puff of his breath against her cheek, but now she stays where she is, leaning back with her palms flat on the rumpled sheets, though one eyebrow lifts, like she's calling his bluff.

"If I knew there was going to be possible beachtime, I'd have packed a bathing suit."

It's not really on the docket right now in Maine. Actually, she thinks anybody who voluntarily goes to the beaches there is a little crazy: that water is freakishly cold.

"Sounds like you've got it all planned out."

[luvs_yogurt]

"Bathing suits can be bought, our first stop is a clothing store." The kind of place that Sam would have in his collection of very useful places to know people, even. High end, clothing made to order - very quickly if you've got the right amount of cash... besides, it might come in hand to have a dress in his wardrobe even after this gambit.

He raises an eyebrow, hardly shy as he knows he's not on the spot, "You know how I run things, meticulous planning that inevitably goes wrong."

[notinthebook]

She shrugs, brushing the suggestion aside.

"Maybe I'll just grab one from the Bar on the way out. It's bound to be cheaper."

Not that she particularly has to worry about money right now, what with her somewhat unexpected windfall.

He's infuriating in a lot of ways, but she'd have to say this, making her smile when two seconds before she'd been feeling annoyed and frustrated with him, has got to take the cake. Still, there it is; her lips twitch at the corner despite her outward coolness.

"That's why I like you. Keeps life interesting."

Her eyes flick down, towards his boots, and she nods. "Ready?"

[luvs_yogurt]

It's a sentiment he's heard before, and he believes it.

"I've got to get a few things together," he nods slowly; "meet me down in the bar in five minutes?"

It's not much that he needs, some cash to cover the dresses, the suits (if they're done), a hotel room... rental car. Emma's throwing around money to get the mark's attention. Okay... a decent amount of cash. Barry's lucky he's willing to do the job for four grand.

"Then off to sunny, Miami Beach."

[notinthebook]

"Sounds good to me."

She pushes herself up with a swing of blonde waves, bright against the soft black sweater that she straightens once she's standing again. "See you down there."

It's a good thing she'd put that cash on her tab, considering that when she heads back into the bar, she ends up doing a kind of mini-shopping trip that ends with her taking a small bag from the bartop. It's nothing much: makeup, hair supplies (if she's gotta look the part, then she's gonna make damn sure she looks it a hundred percent), toothbrush, a little vial of her usual perfume, a bathing suit and coverup. It's more than she normally has with her when she's taking a trip, but not by much, and the bag's light when she slings it over her shoulder.

Which leaves her with an overnight bag, plans to go overnight, and way too much time to think about both those facts.

Is this stupid? Her previous trip had been on a whim; she'd never meant to spend as much time there as she had.

She really hadn't meant for things to go the way they did, but it happened and now she doesn't know what to expect, or what to consider, or even what she wants.

She hates that.

So she sits at the bar, fingers drumming idly against a glass of water, waiting and pushing aside each of those little uncertain thoughts that try to take hold.

[luvs_yogurt]

Michael makes it down the stairs with his bag packed and ready, not entirely surprised to see she's still wearing a sweater; "It'll probably be about... eighty or so when we get there? You might want to reconsider your wardrobe."

Not that he's one to dress someone, just that it's bound to get horribly uncomfortable in a car with no AC until they get to the rental place.

[notinthebook]

In answer, she sets the bag aside and skins the sweater off over her head, leaving the thin black tank top. Goosebumps prickle along her bare shoulders when the cool air hits them.

The sweater goes in her bag, and she pats it.

"I'm good. Picked up a few things to change into, so let's roll."

As they head towards the door, she turns her head to look at him, something suddenly crossing her mind. "Hey, you never said why we're buying a dress. I mean, I could head back to my place and grab one in like, two seconds."

[luvs_yogurt]

Better. Much, much better.

She's good - he's got to give her that much. Most women, Fi included, would have been perfectly happy at just buying a new dress.

"It, uh..." he stalls, pretending to stumble on his words before quickly answering; "it has to be a special dress."

He guides her to continue toward the door with a gentle hand on her elbow, hoping that'll be enough for now.

[notinthebook]

She eyes him, eyebrows lifting skeptically at the way his words fumble, even while little flickers of warmth chase each other over her arm from the spot where his fingers meet her bare skin.

(Michael always knows exactly what to say. The only times she's seen him at a loss have been...

Well, nothing like now.)

He's not lying, but he's sure as hell not being straight with her, either. "A special dress," she repeats, flat disbelief in her voice. "In my experience, most men don't really care as much about the dress as what it's showing off. If you don't want to tell me, don't tell me -- but it might be a good idea for us to be on the same page, don't you think?"

[luvs_yogurt]

"I'm not most men," he smiles, pausing outside the door. After a moment, he licks his lips again and then says casually; "You'll have to be able to wear a listening device, and we have to match."

He raises an eyebrow in a clear; 'there, happy?' gesture before reaching toward the door. "You ready for this?"

[notinthebook]

"Yeah, true," she says, grinning crookedly. "You have a whole other idea of what 'checking someone out' means."

The first time they met, she'd caught him watching her, like he was trying to put her together in his head, but it turns out that the assessments he makes are rarely anything other than perfunctory and businesslike.

The bigger mystery is how she managed to get past that and become something other than just an asset...or if she did.

The answer gets a satisfied smirk from her, and she tips her head toward the door, slipping her hand around his arm as she does.

"Ready for Miami? Absolutely."

Ready for anything else? That'll have to be determined later.

[luvs_yogurt]

When she touches him, his reflexive smile takes on a much softer tilt and he nods. "Yeah, well... you can never be too sure when you meet someone interesting."

A little more bold, he catches the unsure cloud in her eyes and murmurs; "I don't expect anything to happen that you don't want to happen, Emma. This can just be a little bit of business and a little bit of fun if that's what you want."

[notinthebook]

"You know what?"

Now that he's said something, caught whatever tic or flicker or shade was in her face that gave her away, she finds she can relax.

At least she's not the only one who's wondering where this might go, but what the hell is the point of going to Miami and pulling a stunt like the one he's got planned if she's just going to stress herself out?

So she tips her head a little, thoughtful for a second, then smile.

"I'm not worried about it. Let's go."

[luvs_yogurt]

"Good, I don't want you to worry about anything." He smiles and briefly considers kissing her, that it would feel right - but then the moment passes and instead he steps through the door with her by his side and into the back room of the Carlito.

"The outside employee entrance is unlocked this time," he murmurs; by which he means that he popped it when he came back through before. "We don't have to run into anyone on the way to the Charger."

[notinthebook]

For a second, something in those sharp blue eyes of his turns soft, and she feels that knot tighten again, just below her ribcage. It's a good feeling, like the one that had stolen over her when they were lying curled up in bed together, a kind of contented, uncertain pleasure.

It's got to say something that she feels secure, with him -- he's a dangerous guy with a dangerous job and more secrets than you can shake a stick at, but maybe that's why she feels so comfortable with him.

In a lot of ways, they're kind of a matched set, and that's not something she can say about Graham.

(Not that those thoughts can stop the dull thud in her stomach at the thought of Graham.)

She can feel the shift in the air instantly: Miami's hot, even in a cool back room, and she can hear the bustling sounds of the restaurant outside. "Good," she says, indicating her bag and his. "Because these might take a little extra explaining."

[luvs_yogurt]

He laughs under his breath, shifting his own bag before quietly responding; "I'm pretty sure the owner's friendly enough for us to shift anything short of a body without too many questions."

He leads them straight to the Charger, depositing his bag in the back as he slips behind the wheel. "We should probably switch out cars after the shop in case they happen to have eyes on this place or Sam's suit guy. We might have to lose a tail."

[notinthebook]

Her bag goes on the floor by her feet, and she slides into the seat, but not before taking a second to appreciate the Charger.

It's a hell of a change from her little Bug, that's for sure. There's nothing like a classic car, and the Charger is a beast of a car. That last trip may have been a bitch, but out of every thing that went wrong, two things were right: driving this thing, and taking that step to kiss him when it was clear he thought she'd run.

Food for thought.

"Just let me know so I know to put on my seatbelt," she says, dry.

"You know, for a spy, you sure advertise yourself with this car."

Not that she minds, but it does seem a little like a flashing neon sign.