Work Text:
Unexpected Advice
by Irena Adler
Steadying his gun, Will took a deep breath. Around the corner was a killer and he was going around that corner.
"William Jae-Hyo Stevens!"
Will jerked around to see a small woman with blond curly hair, hands on her hips. "Get back!"
"Why?"
Will was about to explain about the killer but found he was standing in Charlie's garage. The gun in his hand was now a cheese sandwich. He squinted at the woman. Vaguely familiar.
"Well, I hope I'm familiar!" she said. "You've seen pictures of me."
"Mrs. Eppes?"
"Please," she smiled. "Margaret." Then her face grew stern again. "You were about to walk into a gunfight, young man."
"That was yesterday," Will said. "I didn't get shot."
"But it was close!" Margaret said. "What did you think you were doing, anyway?"
"My job."
"And where would Don be if you got killed?"
"He understands-"
"Like he understood when you got shot in the head? Don almost died with you!"
Will took a drink of the beer that was now in his hand. "That was bad, but we got through it. Being in the line of fire comes with my job."
"Then maybe you should quit your job."
Will stiffened. "Because it's dangerous? Pardon me, Ma'am, but go to hell."
She smiled wryly. "An odd thing to tell a dead person. But I'm just trying to look out for Don."
"You gonna make him quit his job, too?"
"No," Margaret sighed. "But he doesn't have a new career waiting."
"A new what?"
"I need you to be around for my new grandchild, too. Everybody's going to have their hands full with that."
"A new grand-what?"
"You're a wonderful man," Margaret grinned. "But a little slow."
Will sat up in bed and blinked at the picture on Don's dresser.
end