Work Text:
A Life Stilled Too Soon
by Starbucks Sue
They pulled the sheet back over her face together, not one leading and the other following but together, two men united in loss.
As Tony pushed the drawer back in and closed the door Tim turned, feeling his chest tighten and the tears sting his eyes. Not wanting Tony to see any perceived weakness he started to walk away, trying to blink back the emotion held back since that fateful moment on the roof.
He’d put this off, visiting Kate, he'd been scared, wanting to remember her as she was the last time he’d seen her, vibrant and full of life, not cold and laid out in death. It was Tony who’d changed his mind, who had persuaded him to say goodbye. Tony had seen her killed, had been so close that her blood had sprayed his face, but Tony hadn’t weakened, had stayed strong, despite still being physically weak from the plague and from falling down the hill and then being almost blown up when the car exploded.
Tim knew that when Tony had yelled at him in the bullpen it hadn’t been anything personal, the older agent had just needed to vent and release some of the pent up emotion and frustration, he and Kate had worked together for two years and Tim knew they’d been close. Despite the sexual innuendos and bickering their relationship had been more like brother and sister, so like the relationship he had with his own sister, Sarah, in fact Tim could remember that Kate had often told Tony in frustration that he reminded her of her younger brother. So Tim knew how close the two agents were, Kate’s big sister to Tony’s little brother, despite the way they squabbled Tim knew they’d complemented each other.
Tim walked quickly out of autopsy, intent on losing Tony but the older man caught him up, latching on to his arm. He blinked rapidly to clear the moisture from his eyes.
“Tim, it’s alright, it’s okay to grieve for her.” He said roughly. “She was a special person; she deserves to have people mourn her.” The older agent’s voice broke on the last word and Tim looked around in shock.
Tony’s own eyes were swimming with tears, lips pressed together to try and contain his own turbulent emotions. Tim suddenly felt himself pulled into a tight embrace. He hesitated for a second, not wanting to appear weak in front of the older man, but in a moment of clarity realized that Tony needed this as much as he did, the senior agent may have lost partners before in the line of duty but that didn’t mean that this death was any easier to bear. Feeling Tony’s body trembling with barely suppressed emotion he quickly wrapped his arms around the older man in return, feeling his own tears begin to trail down his face.
They stood there wrapped together, like two small children caught in a storm trying desperately to hold on and protect the other, neither heard the elevator, or saw their team leader get out, a look of dismay crossing his face as he saw his two young team members. Quickly moving across the hallway he drew them both into the safety and comfort of his arms.
The warmth of the strong and protective embrace coupled with the scent of sawdust and coffee surrounded the grieving younger men, wrapping them in a comfort that was so secure, so familiar that everything else just seemed to stand still in time, reassuring them and giving them unspoken permission to relax and let go, to forget about being federal agents for a while and just be themselves, three friends grieving for the loss of a life stilled too soon.
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