#Jalton | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blackfireraevyn · 6 years

Text

The Brave (Jalton) - 1x01 - Pilot

Dalton: Damnit, Jaz! You’re like a ninja, you know that?

Jaz: Yeah, so should you by now.

********************************************

Amir: Were you raised Muslim, Jaz?

Jaz: I was raised a New Yorker.

McG: Whoops.

Dalton: Guy we lost, guy you replaced, was her best friend.

******************************************

Dalton: Jaz, green door.

Jaz: Top?

Dalton: Yeah, I saw him. Double back and re-approach.

*************************************

Dalton: Jaz, let him walk.

Jaz: He’s coming out.

******************************************

Dalton: Jaz, break contact, you’re compromised.

***********************************

Dalton: All right, if Akmuti gives up Well’s location I want you to take him out. Look, if I’m giving you a shot it’s because I know you can make it.

Jaz: I know. You’re the only CO I’ve ever had who looks at me and doesn’t see a woman first.

Dalton: I may not see it but, I don’t forget it. Cause I know that getting here was harder for you than I’ll ever understand.

********************************************************

Jaz: You still think i can make that shot? That’s what I thought.

Dalton: Whoops.

***************************************

Dalton: Amir? Jaz? I want you two to couple up. You should have no problem getting inside.

Dalton: McGuire? I want you to maintain a line of sight to this entrance. Preach? I want you to grab their air.

Jaz: What are you gonna do?

Dalton: Wing it.

****************************************

Jaz: Coming in.

Dalton: Alright, come in.

Jaz: Alright, we counted four roving patrols, and there are centuries at each exit. Two tangos on the third floor outside the OR.

Dalton: So, they’re using Wells to operate on Baghdadi.

Amir: Which means they’ll kill her as soon as she’s served her purpose.

Jaz: What does DC want us to do?

Dalton: They’ve gone quiet.

*************************************************

Director Campbell: If you cannot eliminate Baghdadi you are to withdraw as to not tip his people off that we are onto him.

Jaz: So, Wells is dead.

Director Campbell: Adam? Our target is Baghdadi, but as far as I’m concerned, how you get him is at your discretion. Is that clear?

Dalton: Acknowledged. Stand by.

Jaz: Top?

Dalton: Nah--J--...All right, officially we have been retasked to get Baghdadi but, Director Campbell has given us some latitude as to how we do that. We’re out numbered, we’re outgunned, even if we could get into that OR we can’t fire a shot because we’re stuck inside of a damn hospital. We got one thing going for us, that’s that she doesn’t know who we are. Alright, I’ve got a plan. It’s risky but, as far as I’m concerned, we didn’t come this far to leave Kimberly Wells behind.

*****************************************

Dalton: Careful with that. It goes boom.

Terrorist 1: Boom?

Dalton: Mm-hmm.

Dalton: Did you get what I needed?

Jaz: Sure did.

Dalton: Cart was a nice touch.

Jaz: Yeah, I thought so, too.

Dalton: All right, Preach, kill their air.

Preach: Done.

Dalton: *whistles* ‘You took an American. I want her back.’

Amara Baghdadi: I don’t know who you’re talking about.

Dalton: Kimberly Wells. You’re using her. Probably to patch up a few of your guys, I don’t care. Free surgeries are over.

Amara Baghdadi: Who are you?

Dalton: I’m the guy getting paid to bring her back in once piece. Now, I suggest you make it your business to help me with my business.

Dalton: Go ahead, try your radio. I got your comms immobilized and the rest of your roving patrols look like these two test dummies right here. Jaz.

Dalton: Either you send out my girl, my team and i go away quietly, or your don’t. In which case we put you down and we go into that OR, we make a real mess. It’s your call. Come on. Neither one of us wanna lose our people over this, do we?

Dalton: Alright, Preach, open the line.

Amara Baghdadi: Is the doctor finished?

Terrorist 2: Yes. She said it was a success.

Amara Baghdadi: Send her to me in room 62.

Dalton: Radio.

Dalton: Night, night.

************************************************************

Dalton: Hey, somebody pick up the ninja!

#the brave #nbc #jack dalton #jazmine kahn #top #jaz #dalton and jaz #jalton #transcript #pilot #1x01

10 notes · View notes

undercoverwatermoon · 6 years

Text

“Surprise” (Jalton/Future Fic)

This started as a completely different story, but here's where it ended up. This occurs in the same verse as "Stars", so they're a series now.

Series on AO3 here: Future Moments I'll continue adding related one-shots to this series as I am inspired to write them. All will be future Jalton.

Definitely a wedding one (as promised to #TheFab5) will be added at some point, and of course Jalton babies and Daddy!Adam.

This story happens an appropriate amount of time prior to "Stars”

Endless thank you's to the #TheFab5 who are always willing to talk me off the ledge when I get lost in my feelings (see evidence below), and to @stupid-jeans (who IS one of #TheFab5 lol) for the always wonderful beta!

Enjoy everyone!

It’s only been five days since they touched down on American soil, and an entire three days since she last saw Adam. Saying goodbye at the airport had been a brand new experience, barely hours since they’d given in to the long-standing tension between them, finally deciding their chance at happiness was worth the risk.

Jaz. We are practically together, in every sense of the word, except...physically

Adam had been so convinced. So sure that it was their time. It gives her goosebumps remembering the look in his eyes as he’d patiently argued his point. Preach’s words from a few deployments ago, about not ignoring connections, echo in her mind, and she makes a mental note to ask Adam how many wisdom interventions Preach had subjected him to in the recent past. Comparing stories might be fun.

Walking aimlessly along the supermarket aisles, looking at everything and deciding on nothing, Jaz finds herself daydreaming. It’s strange to her, how the most mundane things remind her of him. That healthy, cardboard-like cereal he likes is on aisle nine, and she stops there for what seems like hours, smiling like a fool until she finally throws it in the shopping cart. Then come the bagels -Adam likes carbs- the blueberry ones for some reason, so she grabs those too, chastising herself for feeling like a giddy teenager, buying her boyfriend’s favorite things.

A couple dozen more items end up in the cart, but her mind is distracted, a thousand miles away where Adam is, visiting his sister’s family for a few days. She knows he’ll be back, logically, so it feels ridiculous to her how much she misses his scent, his voice, his smile....how much a cereal box in her hand makes her feel like he’s closer somehow.

Right now, in the middle of an empty supermarket, at two o’clock in the afternoon, this tough, badass, special operations sniper wants nothing more than to have her boyfriend home. How is she supposed to wait two more days?

“Sorry,” she mumbles to the polite old man she almost runs over moving towards the checkout line, and minutes later she’s on the road with a hodgepodge of groceries in the trunk.

The minute she walks through the garage door she knows he’s home.

“Adam?” Calling his name, she rounds the corner from the kitchen and finds him standing there, smiling at her.

“Surprise.”

Adam catches her easily when she rushes toward him and jumps, long smooth legs wrapping around his waist. Laughing as she peppers kisses all over his face, he turns and leans their entwined bodies against the nearest wall, savoring the feel of her pressed against him, in all the right places. God, he missed her so much, and he will tell her that and lots more, as soon as his brain can manage a coherent thought.

They make out like teenagers for a few minutes, soft noises, sighs and moans mixing together, amplifying the pleasure slowly building as their hands roam.

“I missed you,” he murmurs, and she smiles against his mouth. “I might leave more often though, if this is the reception I get.”

“Who says you’re ever leaving again?” Adam chuckles at that. Jaz looks him in the eye, a hand coming up to cup his cheek. “I’m serious. Not sharing you with the world. They can get their own Adam.”

The attempt at levity falls a bit flat. It’s not the words themselves, but what lurks beneath them that has Adam immediately shifting from amusement to mild concern.

“Hey. What’s wrong?”

That soft, intimate tone laces his voice, and Jaz is mildly afraid of the power it holds over her now. Closing her eyes with a shake of her head, she tries to refocus on the way his hard body is still pressing her against the wall. Rolling her hips against him, she moves to kiss him, but Adam is on alert now, and he’s not going to let this go. He shifts his his hips back slightly, and her legs drop to the floor. So, they’re doing this. Now.

“It’s nothing, really. I’m fine.” At his skeptical look she sighs. “It’s just…” Trailing off, she looks down for a second before ducking under his arm and moving towards the kitchen. Adam follows her, a few steps behind, giving her the space her body language is begging for.

Finding the right words proves harder than expected. The wave of frustration begins to rise within her, and having no clue where it even comes from makes it so much worse. The past three days replay in her mind. What is she suppose to say here? That she missed him? That she spent every waking minute daydreaming about his arms around her? That being away from him for three measly days almost drove her mad? That now that they’re here, officially together, she’s afraid she won’t ever survive without him? Isn’t it too soon for all of that?

They’ve grown as close as two people can be without actually being together these past five years, but in all that time, they’ve never done this. Talking openly about their feelings, giving voice to their fears, hopes, and expectations. Five days ago, she thought they were simply taking the next logical step. Giving in to the overwhelming need to explore their relationship - and each other- with nothing holding them back. Right now though, she wonders if they’re right back at square one.

“Talk to me.”

Jaz can’t help but turn towards him at that. She wants to tell him everything, so badly, if only to erase the worry etched on his face. But she’s never done this before….intimacy, opening up. Never cared enough to stick around and do this instead of run.

Even so, she knows none of her past experiences could ever compare to now. Because this is Adam, who is everything she never dreamed she’d find in a man. So, regardless of the past, she will do her best to muddle through this, for him. And it will be messy and uncomfortable, but there’s no other option in her mind. If things between them fail, it won’t be because she didn’t try. Those clear blue eyes she loves are growing more troubled now, and hating that her silence is the cause, she takes a deep breath and jumps in feet first.

“I think it’s just...everything.” She begins with a helpless shrug. “In the last five days, we came back from Turkey, debriefed at the DIA, talked about us- you and me, as a couple- then spent the best night ever together, like... I didn’t know that was even possible...and then you left and--”

Adam frowns at that. “We agreed. You said you were fi--”

“I know what I said, okay?”

The outburst takes them both by surprise, but Adam instantly takes a step closer, cupping her face in his hands before she can retreat. So much is swirling around them, a cloud of questions and future decisions and sensitive conversations about the past- which Xander would say they absolutely need to have. Adam knows they’ll need time to wade through it, and he wonders how much of what’s still to come is driving the frustration pouring out now. Still, amongst all the heavy thoughts floating in his mind, one stands out, and it surprises him that it’s not serious at all.

“The best night ever?” Adam asks, with raised eyebrows and lips curved in a teasing smile.

Jaz huffs out a surprised laugh. “Seriously? That’s what you got from all that?” she asks, and attempts unsuccessfully to squeeze out of his grasp.

Adam sobers, readjusts his strong but tender hold around her neck, thumbs stroking her cheeks. Opening his legs wide, he lowers so they’re at eye level now.

“Jaz, baby. Listen to me.” The pet name draws an almost imperceptible whimper from her, and she brings her hands up, wraps them around his wrists. “I know it’s a lot to take in...us. But I promise you, we’ll figure all this out. I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”

The words sink in, and the raw, fearless emotion in his gaze catches her off guard. It’s too much, and she knows it’s a bit spineless to want to hide from it now, but she’ll implode if she doesn’t clear her head.

Reaching with her right hand, she runs her fingers over his beard, offering a smile that doesn’t entirely reach her eyes. He leans into her touch, wanting to draw her out, but she turns her body away from him toward the counter instead, one hand closing around the nearest grocery bag as the other drops away from his face.

Once again, Adam lets her go, watching as random food items emerge from the striped reusable totes.

“Well….that’s good to know,” she says, trying to sound nonchalant. “That you’re staying, I mean.” With her back to him, she holds up the cereal box for him to see. “Because, I’ve already bought this awful bird food you like. And those blueberry bagels, which are carb-loaded monstrosities really, and it’d be so rude of you to--”

Large, strong hands on her waist halt her nervous rambling, and when he folds his warm, solid body around her, the tension just oozes out of her with a long, deep exhale. Turning in his arms, she buries her face in his chest and just breathes him in.

Adam stands there, arms wrapped tightly around Jaz, and his mind flashes to the few seconds before, as he’d watched her stiff and shaking lightly, emptying out grocery bags. Her words about cereal and bagels flood his ears now- and the underlying fear in them, the possibility that he may not stick around- hits him like a sucker punch to the gut.

He’d gotten on that plane, because his nieces were waiting and Jaz had been adamant she’d meet them another time. Thinking it was her way of carving out “me” time for herself, he’d acquiesced. But as he’d stood hugging her goodbye outside the TSA line, nose buried in her apple-scented hair, he’d wanted nothing more than to haul her with him through security and never let her go.

With stark clarity, he can now feel this abyss between them, this notion of impermanence and ambiguity hovering around their relationship status, their future. He’d thought they’d have time for all that. His words as he’d explained his reasoning five days ago float through his mind...Jaz. We’re practically together, in every sense of the word…

Now though, he can see that statement wasn’t entirely true. By holding back those three words that mattered the most, he unknowingly allowed doubt to seep in through the cracks. Adam knows that nothing but brutal honesty will do now. It’s the one thing that has always worked to stop her from spiraling, so he decides that’s the way this will go. There is no room for more misunderstandings now. They’re not starting this journey on uneven emotional ground.

Jaz’s muffled voice interrupts his epiphany, and he rubs his cheek against her hair as he feels her mouth moving against his chest.

“I just missed you. It’s stupid. You were only gone three days, and I know we’ve only been--”

“I love you, Jaz.” The way she freezes against him tugs at his heart. After a second, she inches back, staring at her finger as it toys with a button on his checkered dress shirt. He watches as she takes a deep breath before her brown eyes drift up to his, shining with unshed tears.

“You do?” Uncertainty and hope mingle in her voice.

“Of course I--” Adam swallows, eyes closing against the flood of remorse.

“I’m such an idiot. I convinced you that we could do this, that the time was right for us... and then I….” Shaking his head, he brings his forehead down against hers with a regretful sigh. “I’m sorry. I love you, okay? I have loved you, for years. I’ll say it as many times as you want. Just, please, don’t cry.”

Unable to find her voice after that, she swallows and moves her head up and down in a nod. Adam opens his eyes in time to see her radiant smile, and can’t help kissing the now pinkish tip of her nose. When she blinks, and the tears finally fall, he wipes them away with his thumbs. He’s desperate now to make her understand, and the words just tumble out.

“I was waiting to tell you, when we had more time. I’ve been...planning it for a while.” That self-deprecating Adam smile, the one he reserves just for her, makes her chuckle through the tears. “I even asked my sister for advice. I was gonna take you out. Our official first date. That’s why I came back early, to surprise you and...God, it doesn’t even matter--”

“Adam.” Jaz’s voice is strong now, sure and steady, and he lets out the proverbial breath he’s been holding. Slowly, she fans her hands on his chest, tracing lazy patterns with her fingers and following them with her eyes.

“You know, our first night together?” She looks up through her lashes now. “It really was the best night ever.”

Adam grins, fast and bright. “Yeah?”

“Hell yeah.”

#The Brave #NBC The Brave #Jalton #Jaz x Adam #Adam x Jaz #First I Love You #Adam is a SAPPY SAP SAP #Jaz loses it over cereal #TheFab5

22 notes · View notes

kyrieanne · 6 years

Text

How to be Brave - Chapter 1

I don’t have dreams of my own, she says back.

And because she isn’t asleep she doesn’t glimpse the flicker of his eyes. She has to imagine it – the quiet assessing that sees right through her even in their dreams, those things made of light and hope and nightmares. He always sees right past all that bluster.

That’s how it works between them.

Or, the one in which Jaz builds homes, Adam comes home, and they ask if its fate.

Chapter 1

#kyrie anne writes words #nbc the brave #adam dalton #jaz kahn #jalton #jaz x adam

16 notes · View notes

badass-and-brave · 6 years

Photo

The Brave - jaz x dalton || “I don’t think I need to prove what I already know, ‘cause then it just becomes bragging.”

#the brave #renew the brave #nbc #jaz x dalton #dalton x jaz #jalton #jazton #jaz khan #adam dalton #mike vogel #natacha karam

75 notes · View notes

chardwic · 6 years

Photo

"Does your boyfriend always have such a short fuse?" ~ Jazton

204 notes · View notes

stupid-jeans · 6 years

Text

how to return home, ch8 (Jalton)

IT’S FINALLY HERE. Thank you so much for waiting.

Here on AO3

Summary/Notes: We find out what happens to Adam. Jaz has a lot of feelings.

Thanks for being so patient, guys. Seriously. I know it's hard to wait on fic. I know. Especially when we were anxious about renewal...and then depressed about cancellation. We have more Twitter work to do...there is still a small sliver of hope. Next big thing is kicking off Thursday so please join us. We need every bit of help we can get!

The next thing on the docket after this will be the final chapter of the madness game. But since a couple more chapters of fight just a little are already done, at least one of those will go up first. The bottom line is I'm still writing and I'm not planning on stopping. So don't worry! Thanks for sticking with me.

The guy at the rental car counter gives her an upgrade. It’s probably because she’s barely holding back tears, and the military ID definitely doesn’t hurt. Somehow, she ends up with a truck identical to Elijah’s, down to the dark navy color, and when she sinks into the driver’s seat and adjusts the mirrors, she spares a second to breathe.

“Thank you,” she says out loud. It feels a little bit silly, talking to him here. This is the real world, it’s not base, it’s not home. But in the quiet of the truck, it feels good anyway.

Patricia had texted her the hospital’s address, and when Jaz keys it into her phone, it’s still a 53 minute drive.

“I take it back,” she snarls, wrenching the truck into gear and pulling out onto the road.

Driving gives her too much time to think, and she’s too close, now, to distract herself with thoughts of Hannah and Amir, or Gavin’s sexy city date. All she can do is think about Adam. Alive, yes. But hurt. Alone. She still doesn’t know all the details, but when she thinks about all the ways she could’ve lost him--could still lose him--it scares the shit out of her.

Jaz thinks about Xander, about her confession, and his response. Because yeah, the idea of losing any of them is unthinkable (she’d felt that again with Preach), but losing Adam? And losing him here? She scoffs to herself, her grip on the wheel tightening, cursing whatever higher power might be listening under her breath.

“You just gonna keep taking shit from me? What the hell’d I ever do to you?”

As if in response, the GPS directs her off the exit and she’s faced with bumper to bumper traffic.

“You’re a sick fucker, you know that?”

The expected arrival time ticks up a few minutes and Jaz hisses through her teeth, knocking her head against the headrest repeatedly.

“Anyway, what the fuck is the point? Aren’t I supposed to be taking risks, here? Making connections isn’t exactly easy for me. And here I am being, what? Punished for it? Give me a damn break.” She pauses, shaking her head. “We’re supposed to be safe here. Kind of an unspoken rule. We put our lives on the line the rest of the time. This is supposed to be a gimme. And okay, I get it, he’s fine. But he’s hurt. And he scared the shit out of me. And we both know I don’t do fear well.” Another pause, another breath. “Is that the point? Learning to handle my fear?”

The GPS rattles off her next set of instructions and the traffic lets up a little bit. Jaz finds herself laughing at this stupid game of ‘hot and cold’ she’s playing with some imaginary omniscient being.

“Fucking ridiculous,” she mumbles to herself before cranking up the radio to drown out her thoughts. It only half works, but she makes it to the hospital in one piece.

There’s some confusion when she arrives, because Adam’s still in the ICU and they only allow immediate family. Having never been good with words, Jaz comes pretty damn close to reaching across the desk and shaking the woman on the other side.

She already can’t stand hospitals and her anxiety is through the roof. Arguing with some glorified candy striper isn’t helping a damn thing. She wishes Connie was there, and that’s definitely a first. But Connie would know exactly what to say.

Instead, the receptionist checks her computer again, eyeing Jaz over the top of her glasses.

“They’re moving him soon. If you’d like to have a seat, I’ll let you know--”

Jaz stalks off, pacing aimlessly. She's embarrassingly close to crying when a nurse appears from down the hall.

“Miss Kahn? We’re moving Mr. Dalton to another room now, if you'd like to come with me?”

Jaz almost doesn't respond, because she honestly doesn't remember the last time someone called her that. But it clicks after a few seconds, and Jaz can only nod as the woman leads her back down the hall toward the elevator.

“He said you'd be waiting. Started asking about you as soon as he opened his eyes. You should probably look at getting his next of kin contact updated. That'll make things easier.”

Jaz knows she's just trying to be nice, but right now it's just noise, and she wishes the nurse would shut up. Her chest feels tight, her throat is dry, and her eyes won't stop burning.

They get to the room just as Adam is being helped into the bed from a wheelchair. She registers the apologetic flinch he offers as their eyes meet, but that doesn't stop the anger from welling inside her.

There’s a long moment of tension as the nurse settles Adam and checks his monitors, but then they’re alone and Jaz breaks.The tension and uncertainty pour out of her as she lashes out,, stalking toward him, angrily spouting off every last fear she’s spent the past day rehashing, over and over. She hadn’t started out yelling, but her voice rises because the door opens and a couple of concerned looking nurses appear. Adam waves them off.

“Jazzy,” he croaks, his voice hoarse and raw and it stops her dead. She looks at him again, finally, and nearly withdraws when he reaches for her, his knuckles grazing her cheek.

“I--I was...God, you scared the shit out of me,” she chokes, the fear bubbling so readily to the surface, it makes it hard for her to breathe. “I thought--”

Adam shushes her, his hand finding hers, squeezing. “I know, and I’m sorry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was scare you, okay? I’m sorry.”

“What happened?” She realizes she still has absolutely no idea.

“Come here,” he murmurs, scooting to the side and patting the bed beside him.

For a month now, all she’s wanted is to crawl back into bed with him, to do more than just remember the warmth of him, how safe she feels with him breathing steadily beside her. But making the choice now feels like a thing. Because now it’s not about necessity.Now she’s let him in that much further, and it’s just the two of them here, alone, in a hospital in Pennsylvania.

Still, Jaz feels a little broken, a little vulnerable, so she eases carefully onto the bed beside him and he settles, his lips pressing to her forehead.

“I took Patton for a walk. The woods around the cabin have always been quiet. But there were hunters. Stupid. You know how that dog gets around loud noises. Dumb mutt took off on me, spooked and he was just...gone. I went after him and lost my footing. Fell down a pretty steep ravine, knocked myself out pretty damn good. Broke my arm, bruised a few ribs. Apparently Patton came back for me. Didn’t stop barking his head off til someone came looking to see what all the fuss was about.”

“I knew something was wrong,” she mutters, gingerly fingering the edge of his cast, where it stops just below his elbow.

“Hey, can you--Just look at me for a second.” Adam shifts away from her and Jaz obliges him, her heart beating faster, anxiety creeping up her spine. “I would never disappear on you on purpose, okay? No matter what else is going on between us, I’d never just walk away from you. I need you to know that.”

“Man, you hit your head pretty hard, huh?” Jaz asks, though the humor is lost on the lump in her throat.

“I’m serious.” He’s not letting her back down from this and she wants to fight it, because that’s all she’s ever done. Instead, she offers him a barely perceptible nod.

“You were supposed to be safe,” she whispers.

“I am. How else was I supposed to get you here, huh? Baiting you with poptarts didn’t work.”

Jaz relaxes at that, finally letting herself process that he’s okay.

“Just figured I’d make you wait a little,” she says, her gaze flicking up to the monitor at his bedside, watching the steady blip of the heart monitor

“Isn’t that my job?” Adam asks, and it takes Jaz a second to realize he’s talking about teasing her. Her eyes lift to his and her cheeks flush.

“Are you honestly going there right now? You look like hell. When was the last time you took a shower? Or brushed your teeth?” Jaz laughs.

“Adding insult to injury now? That’s low.” Adam chuckles, but he winces.

“Easy there, tiger. You’re not that funny.”

Irrational fear surges again and Jaz is running out of steam to keep it at bay. He’s still hurt. He’d lost consciousness, for fuck’s sake. She can deal with fear in the field. There’s always action to balance it out, something to be done, some sure next step. Protocol. Not now. And the uncertainty has her floundering.

“I’m okay,” he murmurs. Jaz should be used to this by now--him figuring her out--but right now, the transparency leaves her feeling raw.

She withdraws from him, getting back to her feet. To his credit, Adam lets her go without a word. She paces until the doctor comes in sometime later, and hearing an honest assessment from a professional helps.

“When do we get to go home?” she asks before realizing she has no idea if Adam wants her to stay. This, Pennsylvania, is his home, not hers.

“Without any complications? We can talk about discharge by dinner tomorrow,” the doctor says. “I’ll stop by again in a couple of hours. I know hospitals are notoriously bad for sleep, but try to rest.”

“What’s the policy on overnight visitors?” Adam’s question catches Jaz entirely off-guard. Her heart skips a beat, and she tries really hard not to stare at him, but he wants her here. With him.

“You get one.” The doctor glances at Jaz, and then back at Adam. “We don’t look too closely at who it is. You’re in the clear. There’s a spare blanket and pillow in the cabinet under the sink.”

And then they’re alone again.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Have to…? Jesus, Jazzy. I want you here. You think I’d sleep at all knowing you were a few miles away and I couldn’t see you?” It’s the closest he’s come to saying he cares about her. The faint pricking of tears behind her eyes has her turning away from him, but he always sees her somehow. “Come here. Please.”

Part of her wants to be strong enough to push him away, to shut him out and keep him at a safe enough distance so they can go back, because forward is full of change and uncertainty and Jaz doesn’t do those things very well. But this, whatever they’re doing, is a slippery slope, she’s exhausted, and all she wants to do is be close to him. So Jaz crawls back into bed with him, mindful of the cords and the tubes and his injuries, but she fits against him anyway..

“We need to talk,” she whispers, eyes again drifting to screen on the monitor. It’s easier than looking at him right now.

“We will.”

Jaz believes him, and it’s enough.

Even tucked up against him, his heart beating steadily under her palm, Jaz still sleeps only fitfully. Hospitals are her least favorite place and she’s jittery and anxious, regardless of Adam’s physical state. When she manages to drift off, her dreams fill with slices of memories. Other hospitals. Other tragedies. Other nightmares. Tehran works its way into the tableau, the stark white fitting with the fluorescent, impersonal glow of the room she’s sleeping in now. There’s blood and there’s pain and there’s Adam, lifeless. Arthur’s voice, the one she’ll never forget, seeps in, too, talking about team and family. Things he has no business talking about.

Jaz wakes up panting and drenched in sweat. At her back, Adam’s fingers move just enough to tell her he’s awake. When she looks up, he’s staring at her, his concern obvious, and she sighs.

“I don’t want to talk about it yet,” she whispers. Being honest with him is getting easier by the day, and that scares the hell out of her. The clock on the wall reads just past 4am. Jaz thinks about home--her bed with the soft, hand-stitched quilt, the gentle hum of the fan stirring the air, the birds and the crickets and the faint smell of coffee brewing. It calms her and she breathes, slow and steady, syncing with Adam without meaning to. That’s what they do.

They wake up for good at 6am, because the shift changes over and the new doctor comes by. Jaz is sore and cranky and exhausted, but Adam’s here and it feels like home. Minus the guns.

“We’ll do another assessment this afternoon and talk about sending you home for dinner,” the doctor says, and Jaz wishes like hell that McG was here because he’d be able to talk some sense into the doctor who isn’t much older than she is. Another twelve hours in this place might actually make her insane.

“We still have to talk,” Adam says once they’re alone again. Of course he hasn’t forgotten. That she’s a total emotional mess probably isn’t helping her case.

“I need coffee.”

“I’m not trying to trap you,” he replies, and Jaz rubs a hand over her face. She’s forgotten what it’s like to be around him, to know she can’t hide. He’s right--it’s not a trap. But it’s hard to have feelings, let alone talk about them.

“Do you ever think about what you’ll do...after this?” It’s not what she means to ask. This isn’t the conversation he meant they needed to have. But it’s what comes out.

“I’m in for the long haul. This is what I do. What I’m supposed to be doing,” Adam replies, taking it in stride.

“I know. But what you do isn’t supposed to be who you are, you know? This job doesn’t exactly leave a lot of room for the other part, but eventually, you gotta figure it out. You deserve to figure it out.” Jaz is well acquainted with bad men, and Adam isn’t that.

“What do you want, after this?”

“I don’t know. To wake up in the morning and know where I’ll be falling asleep that night? To not always be waiting? A family, maybe?” Jaz shrugs like it doesn’t matter, like Arthur’s words hadn’t stirred something inside her that had laid dormant before.

“I didn’t realize that was something you wanted. The family thing.”

“Me neither. Before this year...I think I was happy with the way things were. I still am. But maybe I want more, too, eventually.”

More like Alabama, like family dinners and traditions and predictability. Like a job that isn’t life or death for the people she loves.

“You deserve that.” There’s something about his tone that sends and angry little stab of dread right through her chest and she stares at him, counting to ten, steadying her breathing. She doesn’t have to yell for him to listen. He’s proven that a million times over.

“And what about you? What are you hoping to gain here, Adam? Talking to me everyday like...like you want this, and then pretending like I could ever want anyone but you?” Absurdly, once the words are out, all Jaz can think is that Elijah would be losing his mind right now.

“I don’t know.”

Every single part of her screams to run at that, to get as far away from here as fast as possible, because all that’s here is pain. But it’s muscle memory. Running from him won’t solve anything, so Jaz breathes and counts and stays.

“We can’t go back,” she says quietly.

“I know that.”

“I don’t want to go back.” Suddenly, looking at him, all she can imagine is losing him and never knowing. “It scares the shit out of me. God, you have to know that. But I want to go forward, Adam. With you.”

“Okay,” he agrees.

For the first time in three days, everything makes sense.

#jalton #my fic #the brave nbc

19 notes · View notes