Work Text:
Confessions
by Pixie Child
(glitery_insane_pixie_child@yahoo.ca)
"I know what it's like." Lindsey told him. "Knowing you have to take yourself off the case and not being able to make yourself do it." Her friend gave him a doubtful look.
"You? I have a hard time seeing that. Not that I don't believe you." Hawkes added hurriedly, seeing her wounded demeanour expression and realizing how hard it was for her to tell him this. "When was it? Back in Montana ?" A sad smile graces her features as he leaned across the booth, eager for dirt. But even for all his enthusiasm, Lindsey knew he'd never tell anyone what she said. He might be a bit of a gossip, but he was a good friend. Her best in the city. She shook her head.
"About my sixth month in New York ." She brushed her hair out of her face and paused for a second. "I met her in a bar after my first day." She watched for Sheldon's response when she used the feminine pronoun and was relieved when he didn't seem to think anything of it. "She could tell I'd had a rough day and that I was new in the city. As soon as she sat next to me, she ordered us both a drink, some local beer, without even asking me if it was okay." The blond laughed, remembering the way they'd met. "It was terrible, but I didn't care. When she asked what was wrong, I broke down and told her everything. I didn't tell her what I did or mention any names, just how horrible my first day in a new city at a new job was, but she had to know who I was." Lindsey knew Hawkes was trying to figure out what case she was talking about but she didn't tell him. Not to be a tease, but because now that she was going, she couldn't stop. "She never really told me what she did either. Just that she used to work in law enforcement and was 'freelancing' because she'd screwed up. I kind of figured she was an overzealous ex-cop who crossed a line. We went out about twice a week, when we could both get away from work. She knew where the best take-out places were and showed me around. She even helped pick out my apartment. I think I might have been in love. And then..." She choked. Her eyes were getting so misty she could barely make out the ex-coroner across from her when he took her hands in his.
"God Lindsey, I can't even imagine..."
"And then we got the case with the torched car and you did the facial reconstruction on her..." She didn't have to be able to see him to know he'd figured out who she was talking about. His grip tightened around her fingers, but she found it comforting. "I don't know why I pretended not to know her, I just knew I had to help catch the bastard who did that to her. And I couldn't believe I never made the connection between the 'A. Burns' I replaced and my girlfriend, Aiden Burns." There was silence at the booth as the conversation at the other tables kept it from becoming unbearable. Eventually, Hawkes let go of her hands and she pulled them into her lap as he drank his coffee and she stared at her now-cold drink.
"Wow. You and Aiden, huh?" He asked. Sheldon's voice was light despite the gravity of the conversation. "No wonder she wasn't interested in any of Danny's advances." Lindsey cracked a smile despite herself. "What was the point of this conversation again?"
"You didn't believe I knew how you felt."
"Hey! I believed--" He stopped when he saw that she was teasing him. Waving to their waitress to signify they'd like their check, Hawkes grinned. "There's no way that compares to me."
"No?"
"No way. But you could always make it up to me." Lindsey looked at him doubtfully.
"Yeah? How?"
"Stella's kinda cute." Laughing, she pelted a handful of sugar packets at him.
"Just for that, you're paying for the coffee."
end