NHL IMAGINES

Rainbow - N. Patrick

"Come around to the front of the building, we'll help you," Nolan instructed, then reluctantly hung up. You ran around to the front as fast as you can, and you saw the plethora of police cars that were parked in front. Everyone turned their attention to you when they heard your heavy footsteps against the gravel. Shooting your hands into the air to prove that you were unarmed you were quickly escorted to an ambulance to be examined.

Nolan jogged to where you were taken, shoving people out of his way he stood in front of you up to his full height, making you feel small as you sat in the back of the ambulance under the bright lights. The paramedic, Nick, who you have met several times, took your vitals and some medicine to help your heart rate come down.

Nick gave Nolan a side-eye as he stood next to him which made you chuckle. "Are you okay?" Nolan asked, his shoulders relaxing as he saw the lines and number on the monitor decrease.

You nodded your head in response, the words not forming correctly on your tongue. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground he tossed a few rocks with his shoes. Nolan picked his head up when an officer came over to take your statement. He took a step back and leaned against a car while the officer did their job.

"Why are you talking to her?" His Lieutenant asked, making Nolan stand straight up.

"Because I was concerned about my friend, sir. I wanted to make sure she's okay." He looked his boss in the eyes and clenched his jaw, and watched as Gordon looked over at you and back to him.

"She's a witness, you-"

"She was a witness. The case and trial are over, the guy is locked up. She isn't a witness anymore. Why can't I be friends with Y/N?" Nolan suggested, putting his hands in his pockets and standing up to his full height in front of his boss.

Gordon took a long sigh; Nolan was right. There wasn't any rule or law that said where the detective can't be friends with a former witness. There also isn't one that says a detective cannot be romantic with a former witness.

Gordon isn't stupid, he knows what's been going on. He saw how his pupil made a beeline for you when you sat in the ambulance. He saw how Nolan would look at you during interviews and while you were on the stand. He took note of how he didn't refuse witness protection for a week. Gordon wasn't stupid, but sometimes he wishes he was.

The Lieutenant sighed, looking over his shoulder at you and then back to Nolan. "Don't bring it to work," he said, before walking away. Nolan understood the message perfectly, and the butterflies he got in his stomach grew even larger.

Nolan walked over to you and he was about to ask a question but you beat him to it. "Can you take me home? I don't," you paused to take a breath, "I don't feel like driving."

Nolan nodded his head and helped you stand up. You followed him to his car, your steps slower than his. He opened the passenger door to his car for you and helped you inside, carefully shutting the door. He walked over to Travis to tell him that he was leaving, "let me know if anything happens or if you need me. I'm gonna take her home."

Travis nodded his head, and as Nolan was walking back to his car the smaller detective gave you a smile, which you faintly returned. You didn't feel like smiling, and if you were being honest, you didn't have much to smile about. The past few months have been hell.

The nightmares have only grown and gotten worse. You have a recurring dream that you're being killed when you came across the scene that you were a witness to. You also have a dream that it's a family member or a friend that you find instead of a stranger. God has a sick sense of humor, you've decided.