GCPD meets London

[breakstherules]

Continued from here

[Louise stood up, pushing herself away from the wall, a grimace marring her delicate features as her shoulder made her wince slightly.]

The Falcones--they know your face, then, do they?

[Casing the cellar of the small tower block, she was looking for a lift that might take them up and inside the building, unseen. Taking her phone out of her blazer, she texted Lestrade back at HQ:

Check Chatham House, Charing Cross. See if vacancies. How soon can we rent one? Need to lay low for the time being. Keep this quiet. --L.]

They do.

[They knew the GCPD far too well, if you asked Jim. As she looked in one area, he looked in another, checking on the people, taking note of each of their faces before meeting back with Louise.]

Find anything?

Comments

[doomed_copper]

Oh? Think Gotham is worse than this not-so-United Kingdom, do you?

[As he moved away, she let her eyes close slightly, feeling far more comfortable than she had in several hours. When Jim sat back down upon the bed, her lids fluttered back open as she focused upon him.]

Ha. About fifty per cent less pained, thank you.

[Nodding over to the supplies on the table, she frowned a bit.]

Come morning, you'll have to help me change these plasters. Can't risk infection.

[Collapsing back atop the pillow fort which was supporting her, Louise let out a heavy sigh.]

D'you miss it? Back home, that is. [She lifted her eyes again, levelling them on Jim.]

Have...anyone special there, even?

[breakstherules]

[Jim eases himself back down into the bed, pulling sheets up over himself, ending at his chest.]

Mm, Gotham is a love-hate relationship. I love to hate it, and I hate to love it. Crime is getting worse, though. I have a feeling it's reaching a breaking point soon...

[And to answer her question.]

I did, but we went our separate ways before I came out here.

[doomed_copper]

[She crinkles her nose, shaking her head--] What. D'you mean Falcone....and now his contacts overseas in Wiles?

[At his next remark, Louise's interest is well piqued, and she pushes herself up on her good shoulder.]

Oh? What was she like? Or...he.

[Come on. It's 2015, Jim.]

[breakstherules]

That's part of it.

[The mess with the mob families was only a part of the scandal. Not to mention the serial killer that had captured his ex and the chaos that was to rescue her.]

She [Jim totally didn't swing that way.] is a smart woman. A doctor, actually. I met her while I spent some time at the Insane Asylum and then she became a medical examiner for the GCPD.

[Things had been intense initially, but eventually they didn't see eye to eye and grew to disagree far too often. Perhaps it was very convenient to need to go to London at this time.]

[doomed_copper]

What was the rest of it? And how much more of it is going to follow us here?

[At the emphasis on the word 'she', and the pointed look Jim gave her, an amused if slightly half-drugged smile played at the corners of her lips.]

What happened?

[She murmured this under half-lidded eyes, needing him to keep her talking and awake.]

...I thought I had replied to this. Oops!

[breakstherules]

There's been bank robbers, a manipulative inmate at Arkham Asylum that managed to fool everyone a patient had actually been a nurse for years. More dealings with the mobs.

[Really, he could go on and on.]

This has only been the icing on the cake, really. As for Lee and I... it just didn't work out. We didn't see eye to eye after a while.

[And someone was a little too married to his job and it nearly gotten her killed more times than once.]

It's ok! I just figured Jim was quiet. LOL

[doomed_copper]

[She was listening, and trying valiantly to not be rude to the man who helped save her life that night, but fatigue began to overwhelm her and she found herself nodding off mid-sentence.]

..'S too bad, really...I would think you'd make a rather nice boyf-

[Her eyelids fell shut as her hand came to rest atop her belly.]

[breakstherules]

[It wasn't long before Jim's eyes closed as well, almost not even taking note Louise had stopped talking and drifted off to sleep minutes after her. He was so tired, he didn't even think he dreamed, only a deep slumber for the first time after all the events that had occurred.

When he began to stir with the little light streaming past the window shades, he didn't even initially notice there was someone pressed up against him, as relaxed as he was. In his sleepy haze, he affectionately ran gentle fingers along Louise's forearm until his mind started waking up and his eyes cracked open...]

Louise?

[doomed_copper]

[It was the sensation of his fingers fluttering up and down her forearm which first roused her from sleep, and a slow, lazy smile began to form across her lips. She murmured against his back, her lips brushing the fabric of his undershirt as she hummed in reply to her name being uttered. Her bad shoulder being comfortably propped up by her having draped her left arm over Jim's side, her right arm was in a decidedly even more inappropriate place.

Just then, as she shifted, the dull ache of her shoulder made itself known, and she blinked, becoming more fully awake. A slow, horrified expression started to wash over her features.]

Jim. Why are you caressing my arm?

[breakstherules]

It was by mistake.

[He cleared his throat, feeling blood rush to his face as realization began to sink in. He glances over his shoulder, trying to decipher exactly how close she was to him (which was dumb; she is clearly pressed up against him).]

...Where is your other hand?

[doomed_copper]

ERM.....

[Louise slowly withdrew her arm and hand from between his thighs with an audible clearing of the throat.]

I---I thought it was the positioning of the duvet.

[breakstherules]

[With the removal of her hand, Jim slides out of bed, fixes his clothes a minute and excuses himself to the restroom half out of embarrassment and something else he couldn't quite put a finger on.

He goes through his routine of brushing his teeth and shaving his face before coming back out of the bathroom, looking her over.]

How's the shoulder?

[There might have been a desperation to change the topic.]

[doomed_copper]

[She coughed, turning away as he exited, silently cursing herself for mortifying this man who she'd only just come to know in the last week.

She barely knew him. So why had her sleep been filled with the thought of kissing him? She hadn't felt much of an attraction up to that point. Rationalising it to herself that it was probably just her brain's reaction to the fact that she'd had to kiss him earlier that evening in order to escape certain death.

Right. That's what it HAD to be.

When Jim emerged from the toilet and just stood there, looking at her, she was already dressed, sitting at the table, immediately forcing a smile.]

Better now that I've attempted to change the bandages and applied more antibiotic ointment to the sutures.

Do you watch the tennis? Just saw on BBC Online that Andy Murray is poised to get his second grand slam!

[breakstherules]

[He was going to offer to help her with that, but he wasn't entirely surprised she did it herself given what just transpired. At her question it took him a blink and vague nod before really understanding her question.]

Oh, um, that's great!

[He didn't watch that much tennis, nor knew who Andy Murray was.]

Ever get the chance to go to any matches...?

[AWKWARD]

[doomed_copper]

Erm...

[V., V. AWKWARD]

I wish! I don't make the kind of salary that could afford tickets to the matches....

[Her voice trailed off, and she bit her lip, looking anxious for a moment before trying to force it again.]

Haven't heard from HQ yet...what you reckon, you think we ought to make a go of it and get out of here?

[And moreover, if he had touched her bare skin, even if to change the bandage, Louise felt she might implode at the odd feelings that were currently still at war within her.]

[breakstherules]

[He finds his shirt left on the chair back and pulls it over, buttoning it as he watches her body language, looking for a way where it wouldn't be so awkward between them. (He probably shouldn't dress in front of her).]

I say we go, find some coffee and see how we can sort this shit out.

[He needed a desk and a board to see everything in a bigger picture. If they'd deny him that, this room would soon become his office.]

[doomed_copper]

[She agreed, and they both packed up and set out into the city, arriving at a Prêt-À-Manger right by Westminster Abbey, settling into a high-top booth. It wasn't a proper murderboard, but Louise's police's notebook would have to do.]

So. Wiles has struck here, and here. I've had the thought...that maybe-

[Her mobile rang. HQ.]


They want us back at Scotland Yard. NOW.

[breakstherules]

[Jim sipped at his coffee, listening to the explanation and pointing out a few details and potential hideouts of snipers and getaway plans when her phone rang.]

Then let's go.

[At Scotland Yard, they were met with stern looks as they entered through the doors. If you asked Jim, it was too early for this, but it wasn't anything new. This may not be Gotham City, but he knew what was coming. Glancing over to Louise before entering the office, he wondered if she saw this coming. Surely she had to.

Lestrade simply looked furious, and Jim sighed as he knew what was coming.]

[doomed_copper]

[After her mentor dressed them both down, Louise was filled with rage as both she and Jim were dismissed down the hallway.]

That man....NEVER talked down to me. He never HAD to.

Not until I met YOU.

[Louise fumed, all of her passion directed at her partner.]

YOU FUCK!

[The redhead attempted to level a punch at the New Yorker, but almost half-heartedly.]

[breakstherules]

[Was this what it's like having a female partner? Granted, Jim got his own tongue lashing from Harvey a good number of times, but she had to see this coming!

He catches onto her explosive outburst, catching her before she could land a blow on him. Standing there holding her wrist, he's giving her a look both out of surprise he managed to have perfect timing and that she actually lashed out at him like this. Reacting, he pulls her into an adjacent office that happened to be empty. Once inside, he still hold his grip, though gentler.]

If I let go, you're not going to try that again, OK?

[His intent is entirely serious before he does exactly as said.]

There is no reason for you to attack me like that. I'm your partner, not your punching bag. Louise, you had to see that coming! We weren't suppose to leave the safe house and yet we did, so of course he's pissed, and there's some wackjob running around London with the PD as their target!

[doomed_copper]

[Jim's tirade fell on deaf ears, as she fumed and huffed under his grasp. However, the feelings that were running high at the moment bled into one another in that second, and her fierce eyes met his as she listened to him rant. Before he could finish, Louise pulled him to her in a long, heated kiss.]

Sorry.

[breakstherules]

[This must've been a roller coaster of a ride emotionally for Jim. One minute he's running for his life, sleep deprived and shooting targets, the next he's woken up with Louise pressed against him and with one hand in a complicated position which he'd be lying if he hadn't been 100% innocent in his thoughts on the matter. And now she was kissing him and not even for the first time. It was like having an out of body experience as she pulled back and apologized, and yet the next thing he knew he was pulling her right back in to return the kiss.

It wasn't until the door opened and someone stood there clearing their throat did Jim break away and he moved out of the room to collect whatever it was to continue working on their draft board on the case.]

[doomed_copper]

[When she broke apart from him initially to apologise and excuse herself, it was just a brief moment of shock that punctuated Louise's expression as she then realised that he was pulling her towards him for another go, and this time, she wasted no time in fully enveloping him in an embrace-]

AHH! Damn!

[Her shoulder injury gave her a sharp reminder that, yes, it was still there, and unhappy at the sudden movement. The redhead winced for a split second before readjusting her position and resuming the claim she'd just laid upon Jim's lips.

...Just then, the doors swung open and the two of them flew apart amidst awkward coughing and clearing of a few throats. Following Jim's suit, Louise brushed her hair back behind her ears and collected her papers and notes and scurried out the door.

Moving into an empty interrogation room some feet away from where they'd been caught out, she dumped all of her things upon the long table before leaning back up against the wall, her head knocking back with a small thud.]

I--don't know what happened back there, I---it won't happen again. I don't know what I was thinking.

[breakstherules]

It's fine; I'm sorry.

[His voice was neutral as he acted like nothing had happened just then, though his body language proved otherwise as he moved about awkwardly and shuffling through papers with little interest and rereading lines over and over again.

It took longer than desired, but with their combined efforts, they managed to pull a bulletin board together with some extra penciled in notes. Eventually the day was growing late and Jim sat at a desk with his feet propped, staring at the board.]

They're looking for another target where we might go... They said they got the guys who placed the bomb, but you and I know they aren't who we're really looking for.

[doomed_copper]

Don't be sorry--

JIM. Please.

[She wanted to talk, to reason, but it was clear he was trying valiantly to shut it off.

So, she went with it, placing all the markers upon the murderboard, and adding adjunct notes of her own before collapsing much like he did in a chair. ]

We've got to find Wiles himself.

[Her eyes lazily focused on him.]

But first, I need a shower, and then a bite to eat.